ECAC Announces Men's Soccer Players of the Week for Week Ending Oct. 29
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Men’s Soccer Players of the Week for the week ending Oct. 29.
DIVISION II
Offensive Player of the Week
Eduardo de Bonis Encinoso – JR, MF, Gannon University
De Bonis Encinoso recorded a hat trick at #21 Millersville University of Pennsylvania on Saturday. He scored three goals in the first 24 minutes of action to help propel Gannon University to a 4-2 victory. The win secured the No. 2-seed in the PSAC tournament and a first-round bye. It was de Bonis Encinoso's third game-winner of the season.
Defensive Player of the Week
Kwantarian Van der Lara – SR, GK, Mercy College
Van der Lara went 2-0 in net for the Mercy College Mavericks with a 0.50 goals against average. The senior also recorded nine saves and a .900 save percentage with one shutout for the week. Van der Lara opened the week with six saves in Mercy's 4-1 win over Dominican College before concluding the week with three saves to post another shutout against Saint Thomas Aquinas College in a 1-0 game.
Rookie of the Week
Matt Palmer – SR, GK, West Chester University
Palmer registered six saves as the senior shutout a visiting Seton Hill University team in a 1-0 victory. Palmer’s shutout put his career total to 16, sliding him into the top spot in the record books. He is also tied for first all-time with eight shutouts in a single-season. West Chester finished the regular season with a perfect 11-0-0 record in conference action, which was its best PSAC record in team history.
DIVISION III - METRO
Offensive Player of the Week
Rayneri Ruiz – SO, F, St. Joseph’s College- Long Island
Ruiz scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season in the 54th minute to extend the St. Joseph’s College- Long Island lead to five early in the second half. He also picked up two assists and had four points on the night. The Eagles would go on to defeat Farmingdale State College by a score of 7-0.
Defensive Player of the Week
Kellen Groover – SR, GK, Stockton University
Groover picks up the honor after anchoring the Stockton University defense to a pair of wins and a tie last week. He yielded just one goal per game while facing 30 shots in over 295 minutes played. The senior made three stops in a 1-1 tie with Eastern University to open the week. He followed that up with three more saves on 10 shots faced in the regular season finale overtime win over Rutgers University-Camden. Groover then faced 12 shots, making one stop as the fifth- seeded Ospreys upended fourth-seeded Kean University on the road to advance to the NJAC semi finals.
DIVISION III – NORTH
Offensive Player of the Week
Dalton Moore- SO, F, Maine Maritime Academy
Moore scored the game-winning goal in the 87
th minute to lead the Maine Maritime Mariners to an upset victory over Thomas College on Sunday afternoon in NAC Quarterfinals. The sixth-seeded Mariners picked up the 2-1 win over the third-seeded Terriers to advance to the Semifinals.
Defensive Player of the Week
Matt Marcelino – SR, GK, Vassar College
Marcelino posted two shutouts in the final week of the regular season for Vassar College. The senior held Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to no goals as he picked up five saves in the 0-0 double overtime game. He made one save in the 1-0 win over Ithaca College. For the week, he played the full 200 minutes, picked up six saves, and had a perfect 1.000 save percentage.
Rookie of the Week
Trevor Bisson – FR, F, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Bisson netted his team-leading sixth goal of the season at Clarkson University. In two games last week, he had a total of four shots (2 on goal), while playing an average of 101.5 minutes. Earlier in the week the rookie, led a back line that kept a clean sheet against Vassar College, holding the Brewers to just nine shots (5 on goal).
DIVISION III – SOUTH
Offensive Player of the Week
Christian Caporaso – SO, F, Grove City College
Caporaso scored a total of three goals and added an assist last week in Grove City College’s two conference wins. Against Westminster College, he scored two goals and assisted on a third score in the Wolverines’ 6-3 victory. The sophomore also scored in Grove City’s 4-1 win over Saint Vincent College. He has seven goals and four assists this season.
Defensive Player of the Week
Trevor Brookhart – JR, GK, Salisbury University
Brookhart allowed just one goal in 110 minutes of action for Salisbury against the York College of Pennsylvania Spartans. He came up with a diving save on York's first penalty kick attempt and converted on a penalty kick of his own in the 10th round before saving the ensuing York attempt to win it for the Sea Gulls. Brookhart also made two saves in a 6-1 win over Wesley College earlier in the week.
Rookie of the Week
Nick Iregui – FR, F, Westminster College
Iregui totaled seven points last week for the Westminster College Titans. He had an assist in a 3-1 loss at Thomas More College before recording his third collegiate hat trick during a 6-3 home loss to Grove City College. Iregui leads the league with 34 points and 15 goals 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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