ECAC Announces Corvias Men's Soccer Players of the Week
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Corvias Men’s Soccer Players of the Week for the week ending Sept. 11.
DIVISION II
Offensive Player of the Week
Freek Schoones – King University, Sr., Forward
Schoones helped lead the Tornado to a 2-0 week, earning head coach Talon Stoud his first career win, and giving King a win in the conference opener. In the 2-1 win over Mars Hill, Schoones tallied his first-career assist on what proved to be the game-winner in the 68th minute. On Sunday, Schoones found the back of the net for the first time in his career as he put King ahead of Emmanuel 3-2 in the 88th minute, completing a comeback from 2-0 down.
Defensive Player of the Week
Diego Thielen – Ohio Valley University, So., Defense
Thielen played a vital role in helping OVU go 2-0 last week. The sophomore helped anchor a backline that allowed just two goals across the two games, and also contributed offensively with two goals on the week.
Rookie of the Week
Mathias Krigbaum – Gannon University, Fr., Forward
Krigbaum picked a great time to score his first-career goal, finding the back of the net to snap a 1-1 tie with conference-foe West Chester University. The goal stood as the eventual game winner, and was one of five shots on goal posted by Krigbaum in the contest.
DIVISION III METRO
Offensive Player of the Week
Travis Ward – Rowan University, Jr., Forward
Ward paced Rowan with four goals and two assists in a perfect 3-0 week. All 10 points came in the two games of the CSI Fall Festival, where he was named the tournament MVP. He scored once and assisted twice in a 3-1 win over host College of Staten Island. He followed up with a hat trick performance in a 6-0 victory over John Jay.
Defensive Player of the Week
Mateo Castro Arias – Kean University, So., Midfield
Arias lead Kean to four victories last week, three of which were of the shutout variety. The four wins included two in the Cialella Classic at Rutgers-Camden. He was a key defender on a Cougar squad that limited its four opponents last week to just 13 combined shots on goal, including holding Farmingdale State without a shot on goal in the tournament finale. Castro Arias was named the Defensive MVP of the Cialella Classic.
Rookie of the Week
Andrews Medina – Rutgers University – Newark, Fr., Goalkeeper
Medina went 3-0 in goal, including a shutout and a win over a ranked opponent. He stopped eight shots in a 5-1 win over Merchant Marine to open the week, and recorded six saves in a 3-1 upset of No. 22 Whitworth. He also picked up the shutout in a 3-0 win over Keystone. He finished the week with a 0.67 goals against average and 14 total saves.
DIVISION III NEW ENGLAND
Rookie of the Week
Glenn Smith – Keene State College, Fr., Midfield
In a 2-0 week for Keene State, Glenn Smith earned four points for the Owls off of two early goals. Smith’s week was highlighted by back-to-back goals to open scoring and to earn his first collegiate points in a 6-1 win over Wheaton. In a 4-0 win over Daniel Webster, Smith had one shot on goal and helped the Owls earn the shutout.
DIVISION III NORTH
Offensive Player of the Week
Tristan Myers – Buffalo State College, Jr., Forward/Midfield
Myers scored four goals in three games and was named MVP of the Fredonia Blue Devil Classic. He started the week with his first goal of the season in a 4-0 win over Medaille on Tuesday. He then netted a hat trick in a 4-1 win over Baldwin Wallace on Friday and added three shots in a 0-0 tie against Houghton on Saturday that was enough to clinch the tournament title for the Bengals. The junior had scored one goal in his first 38 games as a Bengal before striking four times in the two-game stretch.
Defensive Player of the Week
Tyler Gilmore – Vassar College, So., Defense
Tyler Gilmore had a career outing against Manhattanville, scoring the equalizer and last-second game-winner in Vassar's 2-1 win (Sept. 6). The Valiants went ahead 1-0 in the 59th minute but Gilmore came through in crunch time. In the 84th minute, Hayden Van Brewer bent a cross from the right to Gilmore, who headed in a goal from close range to level the match at 1-all. Then, with 19 seconds remaining, Gilmore capitalized on a Van Brewer corner kick, slotting the game-winner into the right corner with a header. Gilmore also bolstered a Brewer defense that posted two shutouts in Vassar's 3-0 week.
Rookie of the Week
Mattie Mrlik – Vassar College, Fr., Forward
Mrlik recorded six points in Vassar's 3-0 week. In a 2-0 shutout over William Paterson (Sept. 10), the freshman assisted on the game-winner, which was scored by Mitch Davis, before finding the back of the net himself, thanks to a help from Hayden Van Brewer. On the latter goal, Van Brewer lofted a pass into the box for Mrlik to tap it in from the six. In a 7-0 win over Elms, Mrlik assisted on the first goal of the second half before scoring one of his own in the 71st minute. After his performance during the inaugural Vassar College Classic, Mrlik was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
DIVISION III SOUTH
Offensive Player of the Week
Drew Demich – Hood College, Sr., Forward
Demich had a breakout week with 12 points on five goals and two assists to lead Hood to a 2-1 week. Demich scored twice in a 4-1 win over Shenandoah. The senior had a hand in four of the five goals, including two goals and two assists, in a 5-0 win over Immaculata. Demich finished the week with another goal in a tough 3-2 double-overtime setback against undefeated Goucher.
Defensive Player of the Week
Nich Leaman – Grove City College, Jr., Defense
Leaman’s defensive work helped Grove City go 3-0 last week, including two shutouts. Overall, Grove City yielded just two goals in 270 minutes. Leaman scored a go-ahead goal in the Wolverines win Thursday night over Hiram.
Rookie of the Week
Christian Payne – Washington & Jefferson College, Fr., Forward
Payne’s second goal of the week came in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Mount Union. He scored with 10 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into extra time. His first goal of the week came in W&J’s 3-0 shutout win at Pitt-Greensburg.
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