BURNSVILLE, MN – A pair of game-winning goals propelling the University of Mary up the conference standings earned Olivia Gardner Northern Sun Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honors.
 
The senior from Winona, MN, continued her scoring tear with two big goals this weekend. In a game deadlocked at 2-2 with time running out, Gardner used a spectacular finish to score in the 85^th minute of a 3-2 win at the University of Sioux Falls on Friday.
 
The two-time All-Northern Sun forward then scored the opening goal on a header just 4:15 into the Marauders 4-0 win at Southwest Minnesota State University on Sunday.
 
Behind the power of the two wins, the Marauders moved up from 12^th in the NSIC standings into a tie for 7^th place. The top eight teams in the final standings qualify for the NSIC tournament. Three games remain in the regular season.
 
A UMary team captain, Gardner has scored eight goals in the last six games, and at least one goal in five of the six matches. She ranks 3^rd in the NSIC with nine goals on the season. She is 4^th in game-winning goals (3) and 5^th in points (18).
 
This is the second time Gardner has earned NSIC weekly honors. She was previously recognized the final week of the 2023 regular season after scoring goals in a pair of road wins, including a 1-0 victory.
 
Gardner is the second UMary player to claim NSIC weekly accolades this season. Kadyn Dilger was named the goalkeeper of the week on October 13.
 
UMary next hosts MSU Moorhead on Friday, October 31, and the University of Minnesota Crookston on Sunday, November 2. Kickoff is 1 pm both days at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, ND. These are the last regular season home games for the Marauders in 2025.
 
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