INDIANAPOLIS – An undefeated Ohio Valley program reaped the rewards for the final selections of Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Players of the Week announced on Tuesday.
The Fighting Scots are making a trip to the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional in Quincy, where they will face Bellarmine in a No. 3/6 seeded matchup.
Ohio Valley toppled Ursuline in the semifinals of the Great Midwest Championship bracket before tying No. 2 Ohio Dominican in the championship game and advanced on PK’s through a shootout, 6-5.
OVU or Bellarmine would then face regional host Quincy on Saturday in the next round of the national tournament.
This is Ohio Valley’s first trip to the national tournament; the OVU men are also in the Midwest Regional hosting at Charleston.
Great Midwest Offensive Player of the Week
Paula Valbuena
Ohio Valley
Midfield
Freshman
Bogota, Colombia (Carmelo HS)
Valbuena scored and had two assists as the Fighting Scots finished a 3-0 run through the conference tournament. After beating No. 8 Lake Erie, the Fighting Scots edged No. 5 Ursuline and ultimately defeated No. 2 Ohio Dominican after a shootout.
After the Fighting Scots fell behind early in the first half, 2-1, Valbuena pulled OVU even at 2-2 with a goal right before halftime.
She assisted OVU’s first goal of the game netted by Karla Traslavina and then helped on the game winner in the 58th minute, a goal from Laura Acosta.
Valbuena is second on the team in her first year with the program with 27 points (9 G, 9 A).
Great Midwest Defensive Player of the Week
Kimberly Mora
Ohio Valley
Goalkeeper
Junior
San Carlos, Costa Rica (The Citadel)
Mora came through in the clutch with some key saves in the shootout that sent Ohio Valley past Ohio Dominican in the Great Midwest Championship final.
After each team combined to make four straight PK’s, Mora stepped up and prevented the Panthers from winning in sudden death on two separate attempts.
In total, Mora played 200 minutes and made four saves as she faced 15 shots in the last two games of the conference tournament.
Mora has been on record for all of OVU’s 16 wins this season and has allowed just 11 goals all year.