USL Feature
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The University of Akron’s Luke Holmes, who played for the Michigan Bucks this summer, led the USL PDL alumni honored this week for their performances in NCAA Division I soccer, taking Player of the Week honors from TopDrawerSoccer.com after recording two goals and two assists in his first two games for the Zips.
Named the NAIA Player of the Year in 2010, Holmes had to sit out the first seven games of the season this fall after his transfer from Notre Dame College. Coming on as a substitute in his first game for the Zips, he had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory against in-state rival Ohio State. Holmes was also named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week for his performances.
Holmes had five goals and five assists for the Bucks as they won the PDL Great Lakes Division, and was joined by fellow PDL alumni Joe Sofia (Orange County Blue Star) and Matt Wiet (Ventura County Fusion) on the Team of the Week after the UCLA duo had a strong weekend for the Bruins.
BIG EAST
Villanova’s Emerson Lawrence, who played this summer for the Central Jersey Spartans, was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Week after the junior scored a goal in each of the Wildcats’ 3-0 victories last week against Seton Hall and local rival St. Joseph’s.
COLONIAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
James Madison’s Patrick Innis was named the CAA Player of the Week after the Richmond Kickers Futures product had a pair of goals to help the Dukes extend their winning streak to four games. Innis had the game-winning goal in a 2-0 victory against No.25 West Virginia last week and also found the back of the net in a victory against Northeastern.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
Former Des Moines Menace player Thomas Ostrander was named the MVC Offensive Player of the Week after the senior played a key role in Drake’s 4-3 victory against St. Louis last week. Ostrander had two goals and an assist for the Bulldogs, helping the side defeat the Billikens in their first visit to Des Moines.
Ostrander was joined by Southern Illinois goalkeeper Scott Meyer, who played for the Indiana Invaders this summer, as the senior took the Defensive Player of the Week award after earning an overtime shutout victory on the road against Dayton. The shutout was Meyer’s second of the season and the ninth of his career.
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
Former Central Jersey Spartans midfielder Ryan Clark was named the adidas/NEC Player of the Week after the junior had a hand in four of Monmouth’s five goals this past week. Clark had three assists in the Hawks’ 4-0 victory against Long Island, and is now tied for the conference lead with five assists this season.
SUMMITT LEAGUE
IPFW’s Max Touloute won the Summit League’s Offensive Player of the Week award for the third time this season after scoring a hat trick against Oral Roberts in a 3-1 victory for the Mastodons. Touloute, who played for the Vermont Voltage this summer, currently leads the conference in goals with nine and points with 23.
OUTSIDE DIVISON I
New Jersey Rangers goalkeeper Grant Schonberg was named the NESAC Co-Player of the Week in Division III, becoming the second consecutive Rangers player to be honored by the conference. Schonberg, who plays college soccer for Trinity, had a pair of shutouts as the Bantams went 2-1-0 for the week.
Schonberg was preceded by fellow goalkeeper Adam Purdy, who plays college soccer for Wesleyan, who was honored after leading the Cardinals to a 3-0-0 week that saw him earn a pair of shutouts.