Gillespie earns IIAC weekly honors

INDIANOLA, Iowa – Simpson volleyball player Lara Gillespie and men's soccer player Matt Winegard earned Iowa Conference Performer of the Week honors in their respective sports, the conference announced Tuesday.

A senior outside hitter, Gillespie notched 13 kills and a .324 attack percentage in Simpson's four-set win over Central Oct. 7. It was Simpson's only match of the week. The Lake Park, Iowa, native also posted an assist, a service ace, and two blocks in the victory.

Winegard, a senior defender from Muscatine, Iowa, scored the go-ahead goal in Simpson's 2-1 victory over Central Oct. 7 and anchored a Simpson defense that allowed only two goals in two games during the week, as the Storm went 1-1 after a 1-0 loss Saturday at Luther. The victory over Central marked Simpson's first win against the Dutch in men's soccer since 2003.

Other Outstanding Weekly Performers
The following athletes were also recognized by the Iowa Conference for their performances last week.

Men's Soccer – Junior midfielder Sandro Tadic (Urbandale, Iowa/Urbandale) scored the game-winner in a 2-1, double-overtime win over Central, helping the Storm to its first victory over the Dutch since 2003.

Women's Soccer – Freshman goalkeeper Megan Peterson (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) posted a 1-1 record with 16 saves and a shutout for the Storm last week. Her 12 saves against Luther was a career- and season-high for the Storm.

Women's Cross Country – Junior Catie Ellingson (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) placed fourth out of 178 runners at the Dan Huston Invitational, completing the 6-kilometer course in 22:55, 56 seconds behind the meet champion. She finished in the top-five for the third time in four meets this season, helping Simpson (5th place, 149 points) defeat Loras, which was ranked ninth in the Central Region.