INDIANAPOLIS - The Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Players of the Week were selected for the eighth time of the year as the regular season concludes later in the evening.
 
Ohio Valley, Ohio Dominican, Walsh, and Cedarville have all clinched spots as quarterfinal hosts in the conference tournament, while Ursuline and Trevecca both clinched a berth in the 2017 Great Midwest Soccer Championship this week as well.
 
Ohio Valley moved up to 22nd in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for Week 8 after being ranked 24th last week.
 
The United Soccer Coaches also released its Week 8 regional poll with Ohio Valley holding firm at third with Ohio Dominican right behind them at fourth. The final team ranked comes in Cedarville at number seven.
 
In the first NCAA DII Midwest Region Rankings released last Wednesday, Ohio Valley was again sitting at third with Cedarville the other Great Midwest team represented in eighth.
 
Great Midwest Offensive Player of the Week
Lauren Bates
Ohio Dominican
Midfielder
Senior
Hillard, OH (Davidson HS)
 
Bates is a former 1,000-point scorer in the Ohio Dominican women’s basketball program whose athleticism from the court has translated to the pitch and then some this season.  
 
Bates helped lead the Panthers (12-4-1, 10-2-1 G-MAC) to two more conference wins as she scored both game winners and found the net for a total of four times.
 
In the first match of the week, a 3-0 victory, Bates scored the first two goals within three minutes of each other against Kentucky Wesleyan. The first goal came in the 29th minute before scoring again in the first half moments later.
 
The second match was also a win, this time a 2-1 decision over Trevecca. Bates also gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead in this contest, scoring each of the first two goals for the Panthers. Those two goals ended up being the difference maker before the Trojans scored late in regulation.
 
In just 16 games, Bates has now put up 12 goals, which is tied for second best in the conference. Her 25 points are also good enough for fourth in the Great Midwest.
 
Great Midwest Defensive Player of the Week
Alisha Himes
Walsh
Defender
Sophomore
Lebanon, OH (Bishop Benwick HS)
 
In three games this week, Walsh outscored its opponents by a combined 10-0 tally to a perfect 3-0 record.
 
This week alone, Himes put up two shots and contributed an assist while playing all 180 possible minutes on the field. Her assist came in the final matchup against Alderson Broaddus and gave the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead on a goal by Olivia Peters.
 
Overall this season, the sophomore defender has put up four assists as well as a goal, which was a game winner to lift the Cavaliers over Trevecca on Sept. 21. Her six points are good enough for a tie for sixth on the team. She has started in al 16 games the team has played this season.
 
Himes has helped Walsh climb in the standings, and like Ohio Dominican, clinch hosting responsibilities for one of the quarterfinal games in the 2017 Great Midwest Championship.
 
Walsh improved to 13-3 overall with a 10-3-0 record in the Great Midwest. The Cavaliers started the season with a 10-game win streak.