PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s first weekly men’s soccer honors for the 2018 season, for the week ending Sunday, Aug. 26.
Offensive Player of the Week
Louis Perez * So. * M * UCF
Perez lifted the Knights to a season-opening double-overtime victory at Penn State on Friday. After going down 1-0 in the opening 10 minutes, Perez evened the score for UCF as time expired in the first half with a header into the back of the net. The score remained knotted until the second overtime period, when Perez sent a corner that found Ricardo Oliveros for the golden goal. Perez tied the UCF program record on Friday by taking all 17 of his team’s corner kicks.
Defensive Player of the Week
Mitchell Cashion * Fr. * D * Tulsa
Cashion and the Tulsa defense permitted just one goal against two Top 25 teams to start the season. The Golden Hurricane prevailed 2-1 over No. 21/15 Michigan on Friday before shutting out No. 7/9 Michigan State on Sunday in 110 minutes. Tulsa held the Spartans to just 13 shots to get the hard-fought draw, during which Cashion played and instrumental 67 minutes.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Cooper Clark * So. * Tulsa
Clark backstopped Tulsa to a 1-0-1 week over a pair of Top 25 opponents to begin the season, playing every minute in net. He registered six saves with just one goal allowed in a 2-1 victory over No. 21/15 Michigan on Friday, and turned aside five shots at No. 7/9 Michigan State to earn the 0-0 shutout. For the weekend, Clark finished with a .917 save percentage and .45 goals against average.
Rookie of the Week
Felix Metzler * Fr. * D * UConn
Metzler’s first career goal came in game-winning fashion on Friday, as he sent in a free kick in the 84
th minute to bump UConn ahead of Lehigh for good. The Huskies earned a 2-1 victory before defeating Niagara 1-0 on Sunday. Metzler started both games and finished the week with three shots.
Weekly Honor Roll
Abdou Mbacke Thiam * Sr. * F * UConn
Registered the game-winner against Niagara on Sunday with a penalty kick in the 70
th minute; led UConn with 16 shots on the weekend
Artur De Luca * So. * D * Memphis
Notched two assists for two points on the week, with a helper apiece in both of Memphis’s games
Peyton McKnatt * R-So. * M * Memphis
Scored both Memphis goals on Sunday in a 2-1 victory at Saint Louis; became the first Tiger with a multi-goal game since 2016
Eddie Munjoma * Jr. * D * SMU
Registered five points on the weekend, including two goals against Campbell and an assist against Providence
Juan Sanchez * Sr. * F * Tulsa
Scored Tulsa’s first goal en route to a 2-1 win over Michigan on Friday; finished with a team-high four shots on the weekend