College Soccer News' National Team of the Week recognizes key individual performers who played a key role in the success that their team enjoyed during the week.
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Austin Dewing Senior Forward Air Force |
Dewing utilized his quickness and touch on the ball to score twice in Air Force's 4-0 win over San Jose State. He also deposited a one-timer into the back right post with an assist from teammate Tucker Bone in Air Force's 2-1 win over Seattle University. The Falcons are 14-2-0 overall with a 7-1 mark in WAC action. |
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Yazeed Matthews Senior Forward Coastal Carolina |
Matthews scored from within the box to give Coastal Carolina the edge they needed to top Clemson 1-0 on the road. Matthews also scored twice with Tyrone Mondi assisting in CCU's 2-1 win over Howard in a Sun Belt Conference match. The Chanticleers improve to 7-4-1 with a 1-1 mark in Sun Belt action. |
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Abdou Mbacke Thiam Senior Forward Connecticut |
Mbacke Thiam had another productive week of play. He scored and assisted on Josh Burnett's goal in UConn's 3-2 win over Boston College. He followed that up with a two-goal evening to lead the Huskies past Temple 2-1. Connecticut improves to 9-2-2. |
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Cal Jennings Junior Forward UCF |
Jennings netted his third hat trick of the year to lead UCF past FGCU 5-1. He also drove a shot into the net after alertly incepting a pass to help UCF secure a 2-1 win over South Florida. UCF improves to 10-2-2 overall with a 3-1-1 mark in AAC play. |
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Kristo Strickler Sophomore Forward Virginia Tech |
Strickler scored and assisted on teammate Brendan Moyers' goal in Virginia Tech's 4-0 win over in-state foe William and Mary. He also found the back net twice and contributed a helper in Virginia Tech's 5-2 come from behind win over Notre Dame. The Hokies improve to 9-4-2 overall with a 3-3-1 mark in ACC action. |
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Logan Paynter Redshirt Senior Forward Lipscomb |
Paynter was a key factor in two key Lipscomb victories. He assisted on teammate John Wynia's goal and scored to help the Bisons upset Louisville 3-2. He also scored and added the helper on teammate Daniel Zapata's game-winner in Lipscombs 2-1 win over NJIT in an ASUN contest. |
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Luka Prpa Junior Midfielder Marquette |
Prpa scored out of a set piece and sent the rebound of his own shot into the back of the net to play a key role in Marquette's 2-1 come from behind win ove Xavier in a Big East Conference contest. The Golden Eagles improve to 5-7-1 with a 3-2-1 record in conference play. |
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Jack Skahan Junior Midfielder North Carolina |
Skahan's hat trick powered the Tar Heels past Winthrop 4-0. He also scored from twenty-two yards out with a helper from Giovanni Montesdeoca to play a role in North Carolina's 2-0 win over Boston College in an ACC match. The Tar Heels are 11-2-1 with a 5-1-0 mark in conference play. |
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Noah Mehta Senior Midfielder Duquesne |
Mehta was a differnece maker for Duquesne. He headed in a cross served in by Zach Hall and drove a shot into the back of the net after receiving a pass from Olav Hovstad to help propel the Dukes past Rhode Island 3-1. The win was Duquesne's first ever over a ranked opponent. |
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Kalil Elmedkhar Junior Midfielder Kentucky |
Elmedkhar slotted a shot into the lower right corner of the net with an assist from Sam Stockton in Kentucky's 3-0 win over Ohio State. He also scored twice and contributed an assist in Kentucky's win over New Mexico in a CUSA contest. The Wildcats improve to 12-1-1 with a 5-1-0 mark in conference play. |
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Niko Klosterhalfen Senior Midfielder Old Dominion |
Klosterhalfen drove a header into the right corner of the net and scored from inside the box after receiving a pass from Max Wilschrey to help the Monarchs come from two goals down to top Campbell 3-2. He also contributed an assist on one of teammate Kostas Mylonas' two goals in ODU's 2-0 win over UAB. A hot ODU squad improves to 9-3-2 with a 5-1-0 mark in CUSA play. |
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Jesus Partida Sophomore Midfielder UNLV |
Partida produced two game-winning goals for UNLV. He secured a clearance out of a corner kick and sent it into the far left post to give UNLV the edge they needed to top UMKC 1-0. He also netted the game-winning goal from eighteen yeards out in UNLV's 1-0 win victory over Houston Baptist. UNLV moves to 9-7-1 overall. |
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Alex Cover Freshman Defender Oregon State |
Cover's first career goal was a big one. He controlled and sent teammate Loke Strenov's missed shot into the back of the net in the ninty-second minute of play to give Oregon State a 1-0 win over California on the road in Pac-12 play. The Beavers also tied Stanford 2-2 on the road. Oregon State improves to 8-4-3 and 4-2-1 in Pac-12 action. |
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Steven Tekesky Sophomore Goalkeeper West Virginia |
Tekesky made the big stops that he needed to make to provide his team the opporutinty to win. His nine save evening enabled the Mountaineers to weather a difficult first half and to take conrol in the second stanza to secure a 5-1 win over SIUE in a key Mid-American Conference game. West Virginia improves to 10-5-0 with a 3-0-0 mark in MAC play. |
