INDIANAPOLIS – After winning the tournament title as the No. 2 seed, Walsh claimed postseason honors as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Players of the Week awards were released on Wednesday.
 
The Cavaliers are one of two Great Midwest teams headed to the NCAA Championship in the Midwest Regional, joining No. 2 seed Findlay. Walsh received an AQ into the national tournament field.
 
Findlay, as an at-large selection, is also hosting the regional at DeHaven Field this weekend – the Oilers and Cavaliers could potentially meet if they each win their opening-round matchup vs. Rockhurst / UIndy.
 
Offensive Player of the Week
Brianna Sanborn
Walsh
Midfield
Senior
Twinsburg, OH (Twinsburg HS)
 
Sanborn and the Walsh offense was simply clinical helping execute a dangerous offensive attack in the semifinals and the championship final of the Great Midwest tournament.
 
Sanborn, the 2018 Great Midwest Offensive Player of the Year, was a big part of the senior class making contributions to winning three straight playoff games in head coach Lauren Lewicki’s first championship run.
 
In the semifinals against No. 3 Cedarville, Sanborn was contributing from the start. A goal from teammate Olivia Peters and later by CU’s Olivia Hoffman saw the game head to overtime in Dayton.
 
It was not until the 94th minute off of a Peters corner that saw the Cavaliers move onto the finals. Sanborn jumped above multiple Yellow Jacket defenders to head home the cross and send the crowd and the Cavaliers bench into a frenzy. 
 
During the finals against No. 4 seed Ohio Dominican, Sanborn was even better. Only 16 minutes into the first half Sanborn and Peters hooked up with a beautiful give-and-go sequence and Sanborn slotted her shot far corner to give the Cavaliers an early 1-0 lead. 
 
Sanborn then returned the favor to Peters and she found the opposite corner of the goal. Sanborn had two goals and one assist and contributed to three of the five goals from the Cavaliers while they were in Dayton. 
 
The Cavaliers earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament and will take on No. 7 UIndy at Findlay.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Mickey McClanahan
Goalkeeper
Walsh
Senior
Franklin, OH (Bishop Fenwick HS)
 
The senior McClanahan was brilliant between the sticks for Walsh during the semifinals and final of the Great Midwest Conference Tournament. It was pure redemption for the keeper, who departed the 2018 championship final vs. Ohio Valley with a hand injury.
 
In the semifinals against Cedarville, McClanahan only allowed one goal and saved three shots. The goal that went in was a tough top corner shot by Cedarville’s Olivia Hoffman. All three of McClanahan’s saves came at crucial times in the game. 
 
In the finals, the Cavaliers did not allow a goal against Ohio Dominican and McClanahan made four saves and multiple saves when the Cavaliers were up 1-0 in the first half. 
 
McClanahan and the defense only allowed one goal while they were in Dayton and scored five, making that a goal differential of +4. 
 
Walsh will take on UIndy in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region on Thursday.