Cook, Salminen both earn Big Sky honors after huge weekend

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Cook's bio | Salminen's bio

OGDEN, Utah – It is a perfect capper to a wild weekend for Northern Colorado Soccer. On Monday, the Big Sky Conference announced that Ariel Cook has earned Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Kirstin Salminen has earned co-Defensive Player of the Week.

The two seniors played a key role in helping win Northern Colorado’s first Big Sky co-championship and the right to host the 2011 Big Sky Conference Women’s Soccer Championship.

Cook, a senior from Gilbert, Ariz., came up huge in her final Big Sky regular season match. Knowing a win clinches at least a share of the Big Sky title, Cook scored two goals in a 2-0 win over Montana. 

Cook’s first goal came in the 4th minute with a well-placed shot from almost 30 yards away that floated past Montana’s goalkeeper. Her second goal clinched the game for the Bears in the 76th minute.

Salminen, a senior from Lynden, Wash., continued her fantastic season by allowing just one goal in two games over the weekend. In Friday’s 1-1 road draw against Eastern Washington, Salminen made three saves.

Then, at home against Montana, Salminen recorded her sixth shutout of the year and made three saves to help the Bears to their historic weekend.

Portland State defender Toni Carnovale was the other student-athlete named co-Defensive Player of the Week alongside Salminen.