Falkenstern and Turner Collect Final Weekly Men’s Soccer Awards
Falkenstern and Turner Collect Final Weekly Men’s Soccer Awards
ELMHURST, Ill. – Fort Wayne's Mitch Falkenstern and Eastern Illinois' Evan Turner earned The Summit League's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors for men's soccer. The duo earned recognition for their performances from Oct. 29-Nov. 4. The selections mark the final awards of the 2012 season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mitch Falkenstern, Fort Wayne
Sr. // D // Fort Wayne, Ind.
Falkenstern earned his first career award after scoring the game-winning goal that propelled his team into The Summit League Championships. His first league goal of the season came with less than six minutes remaining to break a scoreless tie with intra-state rival IUPUI. The victory lifted the Mastodons past IUPUI in the standings and clinched a berth in the upcoming four-team league tournament.
Also nominated: Kyle Bethel, Oakland; Giovanni Giattino, Omaha; Nathan Bruinsma, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: 8/27 - Miche'Le Lipari, Oakland / Kyle Hyland, IUPUI; 9/4 – Austin Gochneaur, Western Illinois; 9/10 – Devin Diego, Omaha; 9/17 – Giovanni Giattino, Omaha; 9/24 – Kyle Hyland, IUPUI; 10/1 – Matt Dudley, Oakland; 10/8 – Kyle Bethel, Oakland; 10/15 – Kyle Bethel, Oakland; 10/22 – Ryan Robinson, IUPUI; 10/29 – Jordan Rideout, Kansas City.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Evan Turner, Eastern Illinois
Sr. // GK // Eugene, Ore.
Turner received his first career honor after blanking Summit League regular season champion Oakland in the finale. Facing the NCAA's seventh-highest scoring team, he made six saves, including one in the second overtime to preserve a scoreless tie. Turner's shutout of Oakland marked the first time that the Golden Grizzlies, who entered the night averaging 2.31 goals per match, were shutout in league play this season.
Also nominated: Brandon Cloutier, Fort Wayne; Scott Messer, Oakland; Mo Salama, Omaha; Yves Dietrich, Western Illinois.
Previous winners: 8/27 – Eduardo Cortes, IUPUI; 9/4 – Scott Messer, Oakland; 9/10 – Eduardo Cortes, IUPUI; 9/17 – Yves Dietrich, Western Illinois; 9/24 – Eduardo Cortes, IUPUI; 10/1 – Matt Grosey, Omaha; 10/8 – John Timm, Oakland; 10/15 – Brandon Cloutier, Fort Wayne; 10/22 – Eduardo Cortes, IUPUI; 10/29 – John DeLeon, Oakland.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Entering its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 144,000 at nine universities, four of which are located in top 58 U.S. metro populations (Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Omaha). Member institutions include: Fort Wayne (Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), Kansas City (University of Missouri-Kansas City), North Dakota State University, Oakland University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced 54 All-Americans, 37 Academic All-America selections and seven NCAA Championships. For more information about the league and its history, visit www.thesummitleague.org to "See The Summit" or follow on Twitter @thesummitleague.
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