USL College Round-Up
Friday, November 4, 2011
UC Santa Barbara midfielder Luis Silva’s stock was already high when the senior began the college season, but the manner in which he has proven his worth throughout the No.17 Gauchos’ push towards a Big West title has Silva potentially being a Top 10 selection in the MLS SuperDraft next spring. A week that saw him score three goals and add three assists earned the Orange County Blue Star standout the Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Week award, one of a number of USL PDL alums to be honored in the final week of most conferences’ regular seasons.
As part of an offensively potent Blue Star lineup this summer that also contained UCLA standouts Chandler Hoffman and Fernando Monge, Silva averaged more than a point per game, scoring five goals and adding two assists for Orange County. His creativity was certainly on full display in the Gauchos’ 4-3 victory against Cal State Fullerton on Saturday night, notching the game-winning goal with 19 seconds remaining in overtime on a beautiful give-and-go.
Other PDL alums honored on the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week included the Louisville trio of Austin Berry (Chicago Fire Premier), Greg Cochrane (Central Jersey Spartans) and Brock Grangers (Portland Timbers U-23s). Billy Schuler, a forward who played for Reading United this summer, was also selected after a strong week for North Carolina, as was IMG Bradenton’s Martin Ontiveros after a good week for James Madison.
BIG TEN
Chicago Fire Premier goalkeeper Jeremy Clark was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week after a pair of strong performances for Michigan State in victories against in-state foes Michigan and Western Michigan. Clark recorded 12 saves in the two games, including nine in a 1-0 victory against the Wolverines.
BIG EAST
West Virginia defender Eric Schoenle, who played for Reading United in the PDL, was named the Big East Defender of the Week after the Mountaineers recorded a pair of shutouts against Notre Dame and Seton Hall. West Virginia earned a bye in the Big East tournament, and will host either Georgetown or St. John’s on Sunday in the quarterfinals.
MISSOURI VALLEY
Former Chicago Fire Premier standout Ethan Finlay won his fifth Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week award for the season as he reached 40 career goals for Creighton with both Bluejays’ goals in a 2-0 victory against Drake. Finlay has now set a conference record for Player of the Week awards in a season, and is now only four points away from 100 for his college career.
Finlay was joined in being honored by teammate, and fellow Chicago Fire Premier player, Tyler Polak, who took the Defensive Player of the Week award. Polak is the fourth Bluejay to win Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, following Reading United standout Brian Holt, a three-time winner, Jake Brown and Chicago Fire Premier and Des Moines Menace alum Andrew Duran.
PAC-12
Joe Sofia of UCLA was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after the Orange County Blue Star defender helped the Bruins to a pair of 1-0 victories against Washington and Oregon State. Sofia scored the only goal of the game for UCLA against the Huskies, while allowing the Beavers only three shots on goal in the Bruins’ second game of the weekend. Ranked No.8 by the NSCAA, UCLA has now shut out seven of its past 10 opponents, with Sofia playing a key role.
CONFERENCE USA
Former Atlanta Blackhawks goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski earned his second Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honor after the University of Alabama-Birmingham standout shut out No. 15 SMU on the road in a 1-0 victory and held Florida International to a 0-0 draw. The Blazers are now ranked No. 13 in the NCAA RPI, and should be in the field of 48 for the NCAA Tournament.
AMERICA EAST
Former Vermont Voltage standout Juan Peralta picked up the America East Player of the Week award after scoring seven points in two games for the University of Vermont last week. Peralta had a goal and five assists for the Catamounts, playing a role in all six goals the side scored in a pair of victories against Albany and UMBC.
ATLANTIC 10
Fredericksburg Hotspur forward Zach Abaie was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week after the George Washington standout had four assists in a pair of victories for the Colonials. Abaie, who was also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week, helped GW earn a 3-0 victory against Massachusetts before having assists on both goals in a 2-1 victory against Rhode Island.
ATLANTIC SUN
Stetson University’s Kai Eckenrode was named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Week after the FC Jax Destroyers midfielder scored three goals in three games this past week for the Hatters. Eckenrode scored what proved to be the game-tying goal as Stetson earned a 1-1 draw with then No. 9 Central Florida before scoring twice in a 4-3 overtime victory against Jacksonville, netting the game-winner in the 94th minute.
BIG SOUTH
IMG Bradenton midfielder Mitchell Cardenas earned the Big South’s Attacking Player of the Week award after the junior from Mexico City had four goals and an assist in a pair of victories for Campbell University. Cardenas scored a pair of goals in both a 3-1 win against Liberty and a 3-2 win against VMI, and was also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week.
BIG WEST
Cal State Northridge’s Michael Abalos was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Week after the West Texas United goalkeeper recorded a pair of shutouts against the No. 9 UC Irvine and Cal Poly, with both games ending in 0-0 draws. The pair of points kept the Matadors in the hunt for a place in the Big West Tournament, but they might be on the outside looking in on the NCAA Tournament, currently sitting at No. 54 in the NCAA RPI.
COLONIAL
Northeastern’s Oliver Blum was named the Colonial Athletic Association’s Co-Player of the Week after the MPS Portland Phoenix goalkeeper recorded back-to-back shutouts in a pair of victories. The Huskies earned a 3-0 win against Drexel and a 2-0 win against Old Dominion to move into a tie for third place in the CAA, maintaining their perfect home record this season.
HORIZON LEAGUE
Cleveland State’s Aaron Adkins won his second Horizon League Player of the Week award after the Akron Summit Assault forward scored the game-winning goal in both of the Vikings’ victories last week. Adkins had three goals overall, scoring in the 65th minute against Butler for a 2-1 win and then in the 67th against Canisius, again for a 2-1 victory.
NORTHEAST
Former New Orleans Jester Reece Wilson was named the Northeast Conference Co-Player of the Week as the Central Connecticut State standout had a pair of goals and an assist for the Blue Devils as they took a 2-1 victory against Quinnipiac.
PATRIOT
Colgate’s Steven Miller was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week after the senior had a goal and assist in the Raiders’ 2-1 victory against Bucknell last weekend. The Ocean City Nor’easters midfielder scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 63rd minute, securing the Raiders’ place in the conference tournament this week.
SOUTHERN
Carolina Dynamo forward Chris Thomas was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week after the Elon junior scored a pair of second-half goals to earn the Phoenix a 2-2 draw with ACC power Duke. Thomas leads Elon with seven goals and 16 points this season. The Phoenix open the conference tournament on Sunday, as they face Georgia Southern.
SUMMIT LEAGUE
Des Moines Menace midfielder Husref Jupic was named the Summit League Offensive Player of the Week after the Western Illinois junior scored the game-winning overtime goal in a 3-2 victory against UMKC. The award was Jupic’s first, and his goal helped Western Illinois clinch its first regular season title.
WEST COAST
Former Portland Timbers U-23s midfielder Michael Nielsen was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week after scoring four goals for Portland in a pair of victories for the Pilots last week. Nielsen scored both goals in a 2-0 victory against Gonzaga and added another pair in a 4-0 win against Saint Mary’s.