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College Soccer News Men’s National Team Of The Week – Week Ending November 19, 2023

The College News Team Of The Week Recognizes Players Who Were Difference Makers During The Week

Martin Vician – Graduate Student – Forward – North Carolina – Vician came through in the clutch for the Tar Heels scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Memphis. He placed a header into the bottom left corner of the far post out of a corner kick with a double assist from Sam Williams and Quenzi Huerman and drove a header into the back of the frame from inside the box with Huerman again contributing the helper. Vician, a transfer from Harvard, has nine goals and two assists on the season. The Tar Heels improve to 11-3-6 and advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they host Hofstra on Sunday.
Tyger Smalls – Junior – Forward – Loyola Marymount University – Smalls scored twice, converting a free kick and placing a ball into the back of the frame from close range after receiving a pass from sophomore forward Anthony Wilson, within the last two minutes of regulation to help LMU secure a 4-2 win over UC Irvine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Smalls also utilized his touch on the ball to create the angle he needed to send a clearance into the far past to score the lone goal in LMU’s subsequent 1-0 win over UCLA on the road. The Lions advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history where they will host James Madison on Saturday.
Ryan Carmichael – Senior – Forward – Hofstra – Carmichael is a finisher. This week he scored after alertly controlling a loose ball that resulted from a cross put in play by midfielder Eliot Goldthorp and converted a header that was set up by a well played cross from Goldthorp to provide the firepower that Hofstra needed to defeat Yale 2-0. The Pride extend their win streak to five games and advance to the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday where they will face North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Carmichael has 16 goals and four assists on the season while Goldthorp has eight goals and fourteen assists.
Yaniv Bazini – Redshirt Junior – Forward – Vermont – Berzini and his Catamount teammates had a very productive week of play advancing past Rider 3-1 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and upsetting UCF 3-2 in overtime in Orlando in the second round. Bryan made a nice move off the dribble to create the space he needed to slot a shot into the back of the goal and converted a penalty kick after being taken down in the box in the win over Rider. He also scored out of a free kick from 15 yards out and contributed an assist on Carter Johnson’s game-winner in Vermont’s subsequent win over UCF. Things don’t get any easier for the Catamounts who advance to the third round where they will face West Virginia on Saturday in Morgantown.
Charlie Sharp – Senior – Forward – Western Michigan – Sharp is a playmaker who continues to come up big for the Broncos. This week he scored three times in Western Michigan’s 3-0 win over Green Bay in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He also scored the game-winner in overtime with a double assist from sophomore Carson Hodgson and redshirt senior Landon Fisher to give Western Michigan the edge they needed to upset Duke 2-1 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Forward Dylan Sing scored the Bronco’s first goal in the win over the Blue Devils. Western Michigan improves to 17-1-3 and advances to face Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday.
Logan Farrington – Senior – Forward – Oregon State – Farrington was a factor in two solid Oregon State wins. He provided the assist on defender Fran Cortijo’s game-winning goal in the Beavers’ 2-1 win over Seattle and scored Oregon State’s first two goals in a 3-0 win on the road over Portland in the second round. Farrington now has thirteen goals and five assists on the season. The Beavers improve to 9-5-5 and advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they will square off with SMU in Dallas on Saturday.
Leo Afonso – Senior – Forward – Virginia – The Cavalier captain was a difference maker in Virginia’s 2-1 win in overtime against FIU. Afonso came into the contest in the 26th minute of play and made an immediate impact. He controlled and sent a deflection into the net to open the scoring for the Cavaliers and converted an overhead kick in extra time to gave Virginia the edge they needed to secure the win. Virginia improves to 11-3-4 and moves forward to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2019. The Cavaliers will host Indiana on Sunday.
Zach Bohane – Sophomore – Midfielder – Stanford – Bohane sent a highlight free kick into the back of the frame and added a helper on the goal scored by midfielder Shane de Flores to play a key role in Stanford’s 3-1 come from behind win over Missouri State. Bohane has eight goals and eleven assists on the season. Stanford improves to 10-3-5 and advances to the Sweet Sixteen where they will face Marshall in Huntington, West Virginia on Sunday.
Davide Materazzi – Redshirt Junior – Defender – James Madison – Materazzi put in a full shift on the defensive side of the ball in JMU’s first round win over Pittsburgh in which midfielder Rodrigo Robles scored twice including the game-winner. Materazzi also converted a penalty kick that proved to be the game-winner in James Madison’s subsequent 1-0 win over Georgetown in Washington. JMU improves to 10-4-5. The Dukes take another big step forward punching their ticket to the third round of the NCAA Tournament where they will face LMU in Los Angeles on Saturday with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
Hugo Bacharach – Senior – Defender – Indiana – Bacharach placed a header into the back of the net out of a corner kick served in by junior midfielder Patrick McDonald and sent a behind-the-back flick out of a free-kick with an assist from McDonald to score what proved to be the game-winning goal in overtime in Indiana’s 3-2 win over Wake Forest. Indiana secures a spot in the Sweet Sweet Sixteen for the ninth straight season. The Hoosiers also topped Lipscomb 2-1 in the first round. IU is now 14-4-4 and moves forward to face Virginia in Charlottesville on Sunday.
Massimo Oedekoven Pomponi – Senior – Goalkeeper – Loyola Marymount University – Pomponi had a total of seven saves including several that were very difficult to anchor an LMU defense that shutout UCLA 1-0 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He also had six saves in the Lion’s 4-2 win over UC Irvine in the first round. The Lions will welcome James Madison to Sullivan Field on Saturday in a third round matchup.
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