Kansas University senior soccer player Jessica Smith was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.
The Wichita native tallied four goals last weekend — including a hat trick — in leading the Jayhawks to wins over Oklahoma State and No. 21 Oklahoma.
Smith sparked KU’s offense to seven goals over the weekend when she put the Jayhawks on the board just 4:29 into Friday’s match against Oklahoma State. That goal was Smith’s first of the season.
She notched her second of the match to break a 1-1 tie as KU never looked back in a 4-1 victory. Smith secured the sixth hat trick in KU history with a diving header in the 75th minute.
Smith gave KU a 2-0 lead in the first half of the game the Sooners with her fourth goal of the weekend. During the two matches Smith fired seven of her nine shots on goal.
The honor marks the second time in Smith’s career she has been named as the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. Smith joins KU freshman Jessica Bush as recipients of the award during the 2005 season.
Smith and the Jayhawks will be back in action this Friday with a 7 p.m. match against Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas.
