ECAC Announces Men's Soccer Players of the Week for Week Ending Oct. 15
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Men’s Soccer Players of the Week for the week ending Oct. 15.
DIVISION II
Offensive Player of the Week
Ericson Penate – SR, F, Mercy College
Penate recorded a team-high four assists on the week as the Mavericks went 2-0. The senior opened the week with three assists in Mercy's 5-0 victory over Holy Family and concluded the week with the assist on the game-winning goal in the 1-0 win over Molloy.
Defensive Player of the Week
Kwantarian Van der Lara – SR, GK, Mercy College
Van der Lara continued his strong play with a 2-0 record in helping lead the Mavericks to a pair of shutout victories. The senior opened the week with one save in 45 scoreless minutes of action against Holy Family. He followed that performance up with four saves in a full 90 minutes of action in the Mavericks 1-0 shutout victory over Molloy.
DIVISION III - METRO
Offensive Player of the Week
Kevin Irving – JR, M, Muhlenberg College
Irving, who began the week with a career total of two goals, scored two in a 3-1 win at Moravian and two more in a 3-0 shutout of Ursinus. The four goals came on only nine shots. Irving is the first Mule with back-to-back multiple-goal games since 2010.
Defensive Player of the Week
Dan Sulpizio – SR, GK, DeSales University
Sulpizio pitched two more shutouts last week to lead DeSales to a 1-0-1 week in conference play. Sulpizio totaled 16 saves while facing 27 shots over 200 minutes. The senior made nine saves on 18 shots in a 1-0 win over Manhattanville, a game in which the Bulldogs were outshot 18-10. He then made seven saves on nine shots in a 0-0 double overtime draw with Wilkes. Sulpizio now has nine shutouts on the season.
Rookie of the Week
Vinceroy Nelson – FR, F, Kean University
Nelson led Kean to three wins with three goals and an assist this week. He scored the third and fourth goals in a 4-0 nonconference win over Hunter, and then the third goal in a 3-0 conference win over NJCU. The rookie added an assist on the game-tying goal in a 2-1 come-from-behind overtime win over Rutgers-Camden.
DIVISION III – NORTH
Offensive Player of the Week
Jose Novas – SR, F, Vassar College
Novas was the offensive spark plug in a pair of 2-1 conference win's over the weekend. The forward opened the scoring in Vassar’s win over Clarkson in the 62nd minute and in the win over St. Lawrence, the senior picked up a goal and an assist. He assisted on the first goal of the game in the 6th minute and in the 85th minute, Novas buried the game-winner to keep the Brewers' unbeaten conference mark in tact.
Defensive Player of the Week
Cam Powell – SR, D, Springfield College
Powell helped the Pride to a 3-0 week, highlighted by three shutout victories, as the maroon and white is now the only Division III men's soccer team in the country to have an overall record of 13-0-0. The senior followed up a strong defensive effort in a 2-0 win over UMass Boston with a pair of assists in a 5-0 win over Emerson before notching the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Western New England.
Rookie of the Week
Michael Mejia – FR, GK, Marywood University
Mejia made 11 saves and allowed just two goals in the Pacers' wins over Rosemont and Gwynedd Mercy. He made eight stops in the team's 4-1 victory over Gwynedd Mercy, and he saved three in a 2-1 overtime win against Rosemont.
DIVISION III – SOUTH
Offensive Player of the Week
Peter Mattocks – SO, F, Westminster College
Mattocks totaled nine points last week for the Titans in a pair of convincing league wins. He scored a pair of goals in last Wednesday’s 4-1 win at Thiel before recording two goals and an assist in Saturday’s 8-0 home shutout of Saint Vincent.
Defensive Player of the Week
Nick Over – SR, GK, McDaniel College
Over led the Green Terror to a 1-0-1 weekend, not allowing a goal in nearly 185 minutes between the pipes. He posted a shutout in a scoreless draw with Swarthmore before holding Wilson off the board for the first 75 minutes. He made 11 saves on the weekend, including seven against Swarthmore.
Rookie of the Week
Nick Iregui – FR, F, Westminster College
Iregui scored four times in the 8-0 home shutout of Saint Vincent. His eight points and four goals are the most in a conference game in almost two years. Iregui leads the PAC in points (27) and goals (12) this season.
ABOUT THE ECAC
Established in 1938, the ECAC is the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. The ECAC hosts numerous championships in men's and women's sports across Divisions I, II and III, offering opportunities for thousands of student-athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.
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