Sandman Player of the Month: Mwasalla earns September honours with riveting run of clutch goals
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – After a sizzling start to the season, scoring four-straight game-winning goals for the MacEwan Griffins women's soccer team, Grace Mwasalla has been named the Sandman Signature Downtown Edmonton Player of the Month for September.
Mwasalla wins a free night's stay at the Sandman Signature Downtown Edmonton.
It's the third time in her career that Mwasalla has earned a Player of the Month honour, which goes to the Griffins' top athlete in September across all sports. She also won in November 2021 and September 2022.
Mwasalla had a legendary start to the season, producing eight goals and 11 points in eight games before suffering an injury that has kept her out of action since Sept. 17.
"What she did is unprecedented, elevating her game to another level," said head coach Dean Cordeiro. "It takes a special individual to step up in clutch moments. The higher the stakes, the more motivated she is. She wants the responsibility on her shoulders, she embraces that kind of pressure.
"Grace brings such energy and passion," he added. "The team knows they can count on her in the big moments - she is just that kind of person."
The electric striker scored game-winning goals in MacEwan's first four contests of the season – wins over Regina, Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, and Manitoba – to break the program record of three-straight set by Brittany Costa in 2017.
With her first goal of the season on Aug. 25 against Regina, Mwasalla broke the program's career goals mark she shared with Meagan Lemoine (20) and now has 28 since joining MacEwan in 2021.
She is also now tied with Suekiana Choucair for the most career regular season points with 36.
"This program has accomplished a lot in our nine years in U SPORTS, but I think it speaks volumes that halfway through her career, she is breaking program records," said Cordeiro of the career marks. "But despite all the personal accolades, Grace is all about her team. Awards are great, but what motivates her is lifting trophies with her team.
"She scores a lot of goals, but what sometimes goes unnoticed is her ability to make plays and make the players around her better. She thinks the game at another level and the things she does to help her team, out of possession, is what really makes her the outstanding player that she is."
