Reese Anderson scored three goals in one game and assisted on two more in the next. The North Central College women's soccer team still hasn't lost all season.
The junior forward from Bloomington earned her second consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Offensive Player of the Week award on Tuesday, Oct. 20, according to the conference. Anderson's eight-point week across two CCIW matches led the league in goals and ranked second in assists.
Her performance helped the Cardinals become the first team to clinch a spot in the CCIW Tournament.
Anderson recorded her first collegiate hat trick Wednesday, Oct. 14 in a 4-1 win over North Park University at the Holmgren Athletics Complex. Claire Georgees beat the North Park backline and found Anderson in the 24th minute for her first goal, a finish into the top of the net. After North Park pulled within 2-1 early in the second half, Anderson pounced on a rebound off a Madison DeVriendt shot at the 55:39 mark to restore the two-goal cushion.
She sealed the win with a penalty kick in the 83rd minute. All three of her shots hit the target.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, against Carthage College, Anderson shifted to playmaker. She set up Georgees for the go-ahead goal in the 51st minute, then created the fourth goal in the 82nd minute when her shot was saved and Gabriella Mattio buried the rebound to seal a 4-2 victory. Across both matches, all five of Anderson's shot attempts were on frame.
North Central (12-0-1 overall, 5-0-1 CCIW) remains the conference's only unbeaten team. The Cardinals were the unanimous No. 1 pick in the CCIW preseason coaches poll, and head coach Andrew Gamarra's squad has matched that expectation through 13 matches.
Anderson's award gives the program five individual CCIW weekly honors this season. Those include offensive nods for Anderson and Jordan Lange, plus defensive recognition for Lauren Richards and goalkeeper Emma Megerle.
The Cardinals host Wheaton College on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium (310 E. Benton Ave.) for their final regular-season home match.
