Sept. 11, 2012

Patriot League Men's Soccer Release - 9.11.12

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — American and Bucknell picked up a pair of victories last week, and both teams’ success was reflected in Monday’s BRINE Patriot League weekly honors. The Eagles collected three of the four honors, including the Offensive and Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week nods.

After starting with a loss and two draws in their first three outings, the Bison picked up two wins last week to close out their season-opening five-match stretch away from home, and have welcomed momentum entering their final two non-League contests before heading to Lehigh on Sept. 22.

American finished its home stand 3-1, with a double-overtime loss standing as the only blemish. After wins over St. Francis (N.Y.) and St. Peter’s, the Eagles are on an upward trajectory with their next three on the road starting Saturday at West Virginia before continuing the following weekend at Colgate.

The second postponement of the non-League slate occurred last weekend. Holy Cross, which is seeking its first victory of the season, had a 1-0 lead on Bryant at halftime before the contest had to be called because of lightning. Navy’s match Sept. 1 against VCU was also postponed because of inclement weather.

Patriot League Notebook

• Bucknell is the last to play its home opener. The Bison host Adephi Friday at 7 p.m. and welcome Albany to Lewisburg, Pa., on Sunday at 1 p.m.

• This weekend is the last before the start of Patriot League play, although several non-League contests are still scheduled for later in the season.

• Army and No. 18 Louisville were scoreless into the 76th minute before the Cardinals opened the scoring.

• Bucknell’s two victories last week - La Salle and St. Francis (Pa.) - were against the ninth- and fourth-ranked teams in last week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire Mid-Atlantic top 10.

• Navy, which has completed just one match since Aug. 30, has six on the schedule through the rest of September starting with Wednesday’s contest at Delaware.

• American (tied for fifth) and Bucknell (seventh) are ranked in this week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire Mid-Atlantic Top 10.

• Fifteen matches are on the schedule for the upcoming week, with Patriot League teams hosting nine of them.

• American owns the top three positions in the League scoring standings. Colin Seigfreid and Alassane Kane are tied with nine points, while Chris Kuramoto is third with six.

Patriot League Weekly Awards

BRINE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
COLIN SEIGFREID, AMERICAN Jr., F, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Seigfreid tallies his second straight Offensive Player of the Week nod after having a hand in three of American’s five goals on the week. He logged two assists in Friday’s 3-1 win over St. Francis (N.Y.) and netted the game-winner as the Eagles completed a 2-0 week with Sunday’s 2-0 victory against St. Peter’s.

BRINE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CRISTOBAL SOTO, AMERICAN Jr., D, Santiago, Chile
Like Seigfreid, Soto collects his second straight weekly honor after leading the American defensive efforts during a 2-0 week. He anchored the Eagles’ D in surrendering just three shots on goal in the Friday win over St. Francis (N.Y.) and just four in the shutout victory against St. Peter’s. The Eagles are now 4-2-0 on the season.

BRINE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
MIKE LANSING, BUCKNELL Fr., GK, Randolph, N.J.
Lansing continued his strong play for Bucknell last week, helping the Bison pick up a pair of victories. He made nine stops in Friday’s 2-1 victory at La Salle, and added five more saves in Sunday’s 1-0 shutout triumph against Saint Francis (Pa.). The Bison snapped the Red Flash’s 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to last season, while both wins came against teams in last week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire Mid-Atlantic top 10.

BRINE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
CHARLIE HUNTER, AMERICAN Fr., M, London, England
Hunter recorded his first career assist on Sunday, crossing the ball to Seth Goldman inside the box for the insurance goal in American’s 2-0 victory over St. Peter’s.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
BILLY KNUTSEN, AMERICAN Jr., GK, San Francisco, Calif.
Knutsen backstopped the Eagles to two victories last week, including a four-save shutout Sunday against St. Peter’s.

JOSH BUTZKE, BUCKNELL Jr., M, Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.
Butzke’s first career goal came just 5:18 into the match and the Bison held on for a 1-0 win Sunday over Saint Francis (Pa.), snapping its 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to last season.

COLLIN COSTELLO, BUCKNELL Sr., D, Bethlehem, Pa.
Costello anchored the Bucknell defense that surrendered just one goal and 15 shots on goal in two victories last week.

BRIAN SUCHOSKI, LEHIGH So., F, Bear Creek Township, Pa.
Suchoski netted both goals in the first half for Lehigh in its 3-2 overtime loss at St. Peter’s last week. It was his first career multi-goal showing.