Following her game-winning goal in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Ohio University, Eastern Michigan University senior midfielder Chelsie Oddan was selected as the Eastern Echo Eagle of the Week.
Known more for her assists, the Calgary, Alberta, Canada native picked up her first two career goals this season – the first against Central Michigan University on Oct. 12.
Oddan suffered a season-ending ACL injury in 2010 after only playing two games and missed the entire 2013 season with another ACL injury. She said she feels much better now and is excited at the way her team’s season is going.
“I can’t explain the feeling,” she said. “It’s the happiest moment of my life. I’ve worked so hard to come back not only from my first one, but my second one. This time it feels really good and I’m confident in this season and that we’re going to do really good.”
Her teammates think highly of her, as well.
“Coming back from an ACL injury – the second ACL injury of her Eagle career – she started off the season strong and she’s just getting better and better as each game goes by,” senior forward Bianca Rossi said. “She’s putting in assists, she’s making great passes – she’s playing excellent…she’s playing unbelievable.”
Coach Scott Hall said the midfielder’s hard work rehabbing from both knee injuries, as well as how she plays on the field, are the things that stand out to him.
“It’s the perseverance,” he said. “The kid takes a lot of heat because they [the team] call her ‘The Grandma’. When we recruited her way back when, I knew she was going to be a special player.”
He added: “What she brings to the program is more than soccer. She’s a great kid with a great personality for our team. She holds a lot of it together – she’s a big glue for this team with a lot of different personalities. I couldn’t be happier for her. I would like to see her for another year.”
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