2009 Men's Soccer Players of the Week

November 9, 2009
	Joe Vella, Williams (Junior, Defender - Manlius, N.Y.) Vella was instrumental in helping the Ephs win the 2009 NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championship, the team’s first conference title since 2006 and sixth overall. During Sunday’s 2-1 overtime victory against Middlebury, Vella had an assist and also cleared the ball off the goal line on what appeared to be a certain goal. Vella and the rest of the Williams defense allowed only one goal, limiting Bowdoin to 12 shots in a 2-0 victory on Saturday and Middlebury to 11 shots on Sunday afternoon.
November 2, 2009
	Harrison Watkins, Middlebury (Junior, Defender - San Francisco, Calif.) Watkins accounted for all three of the Panthers’ goals en route to a 2-0-0 week which included a 2-1 victory at Amherst on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the 2009 NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championship. During Friday’s season finale against Williams, Watkins had the lone goal in a 1-0 Middlebury win. His game-winner on Sunday occurred in the final minute of play. On defense, Watkins helped limit opponents to only one goal over 180 minutes of action.
October 26, 2009
	Dan Hicks, Bowdoin (Junior, Goalkeeper - New York, N.Y.) Hicks not only made seven stops - including a penalty kick save with under eight minutes to play in a one-goal game - but also scored his first collegiate goal on an 80-yard free kick to guarantee a 2-0 victory for Bowdoin on Saturday at Trinity. The win kept the Polar Bears in the mix for hosting a quarterfinal contest in the 2009 NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championship. Hicks has six shutouts and a 0.67 goals against average this season through 10 games.
October 19, 2009
	Keisuke Yamashita, Wesleyan (Senior, Forward - Yokohama, Japan) Yamashita played a part in four of the Cardinals seven goals last week with a goal and three assists as Wesleyan improved its record to 9-0-3 with three wins. Yamashita helped out on the game’s first goal on Wednesday during a 3-2 win at Western Conn. St., then tallied the decisive goal along with an assist in a 2-0 victory over Bates on Saturday. He closed the week with an assist on the game-winning goal during Sunday’s 2-0 win at Middlebury. Yamashita leads the Cardinals in scoring this season with four goals and four assists.
October 12, 2009
	Lennard Kovacs, Amherst (Sophomore, GK - Wolfersdorf, Germany) Kovacs posted back-to-back shutouts during a 2-0 week for the Lord Jeffs, as he finished the week with 11 saves over 180 minutes of play. On Wednesday against Framingham St., Kovacs stopped seven shots in a 1-0 victory. He followed on Saturday against Middlebury with four saves in a 3-0 victory. Kovacs now has five shutouts through eight outings this season.
	Peter Marlette, Trinity (Junior, Midfielder - Buffalo, N.Y.) Marlette had four goals for the Bantams during a 3-0 week that included big conference victories over Connecticut College and Williams. Marlette started the week with a goal in a 5-1 win over Westfield St. on Wednesday, then provided both Trinity tallies in a 2-1 victory against Connecticut College on Saturday. He capped the week with the game’s final goal in a 3-0 win at previously-unbeaten Williams on Sunday.
October 5, 2009
	Asante Brooks, Wesleyan (Senior, Midfielder - Princeton, N.J.) Brooks’ strong play during a 2-0 week on the road for the Cardinals assisted in preserving his team’s undefeated season. On Tuesday evening, Brooks helped keep Wheaton’s potent offense at bay while setting up the game’s lone goal as Wesleyan prevailed 1-0. At Trinity on Saturday afternoon, Brooks tallied the game-winner when he converted a penalty kick in the 86th minute during a 2-1 win at previously-unbeaten Trinity. The Cardinals are undefeated after seven games (5-0-2) for the seventh time in program history.
September 28, 2009
	Trevor Prophet, Connecticut College (Junior, Forward - Nashua, N.H.) Prophet contributed seven points on three goals and an assist in helping the Camels to two big victories over rival Coast Guard and Amherst last week. Prophet started off the week by scoring the first two goals of Wednesday’s 3-2 win at Coast Guard. He followed on Saturday with an assist on the game’s first goal before adding an insurance tally late in the second half for a 4-1 victory over Amherst.
September 21, 2009
	Eddie Jones, Bowdoin (Sophomore, Forward - Scarborough, Maine) Jones racked up eight points as he found his name on the score sheet in all three of the Polar Bears’ victories last week. Jones had two assists during a 3-1 decision over Southern Maine on Wednesday, then posted a pair of tallies in a 4-0 win against Bates on Saturday. He closed the week with a goal in a 2-0 victory at St. Joseph’s (Maine). Two of Jones’ three goals last week served as the game-winner.
September 14, 2009
	Spencer Noon, Amherst (Freshman, Forward - Farmington, Conn.) Noon propelled the defending NESCAC Men’s Soccer Champion Lord Jeffs to a 2-0 victory on Saturday at home against Bowdoin, coming off the bench and scoring both Amherst goals. Noon’s first collegiate goal in the 67th minute proved to be the game-winner. He added an insurance tally in the 83rd minute.