SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Oral Roberts goalkeeper Joao Mesquita and Delaware midfielder Rich Monath claimed the latest Kwik Star Summit League Men’s Soccer Peak Performer of the Week accolades, league officials announced Tuesday. Mesquita earned his third career defensive award, while Monath secured his first offensive award.
Mesquita stopped a season-high nine shots to lead Oral Roberts to its first Summit League victory of the season as the Golden Eagles blanked UMass 2-0.
The Sao Paulo, Brazil native recorded his second shutout of the season making six of his nine saves in the second half when the Golden Eagles scored twice late to secure the win. The graduate student now has eight career cleans after posting six in his first season with ORU in 2024.
Monath put together one of the most prolific scoring weeks in Summit League history to lead the Blue Hens to a 10-0 win over Neumann and 6-0 triumph over Omaha last week. The Essex, Md., native became just the second Summit player to record a hat trick in back-to-back matches, joining Valparaiso’s Brian Thiel, who pulled off the feat in 2018 against IUPUI (Oct. 18) and Bradley (Oct. 22).
The Blue Hen junior scored the first three goals of UD’s rout over the Knights on Tuesday, then added the opener and goals No.3 and No. 4 in the blanking of the Mavericks to improve UD to 2-1 in Summit action and 11-1-1 overall. His six goals on the week matched the total the Blue Hens have allowed in 13 games.
Monath is one of four Division I players with a pair of hat tricks this season and the first to go back-to-back. He’s also the third Blue Hen to reach double figures in goals as he pushed his season total to 10 for the nation’s highest-scoring offense.
OFFENSIVE PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Rich Monmath, Delaware
Jr. | MF | Essex, Md.
- Became just second play in Summit League history to record a hat trick in back-to-back games
- Scored six goals on six total shots in shutouts of Neumann and Omaha
- This is the first career Summit League weekly honor for Monath
Also nominated: Raphael Kistmann (Kansas City); Emilio Cazares (Oral Roberts).
DEFENSIVE PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Joao Mesquita, Oral Roberts
Gr. | GK | Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Made a season-high nine saves in 2-0 win at UMass, including six in the second half
- Secured his second shutout of the season and eighth of his career
- This is the third career Summit League weekly accolade for Mesquita and first of his season
Also nominated: Bryson Gosch (Kansas City); Sean Smith (Delaware).
2025 Kwik Star Men’s Soccer Peak Performers of the Week
August 26
O: Marius Stenner, Delaware
D: JoJo Elliott Jr., Delaware
September 2
O: Shane Velez, UMass
D: Kenny Yedmel, Kansas City
September 9
O: Marius Stenner, Delaware
D: JoJo Elliott Jr., Delaware
September 16
O: Freddy Jeffreys, Delaware
D: JoJo Elliott, Jr., Delaware
September 23
O: Jeremy Francou, Kansas City
D: Marc Popow, Kansas City
September 30
O: Theo Klein, Omaha
D: Jan Schroeder, Delaware
October 7
O: Marius Stenner, Delaware
D: Thomas Klevberg, St. Thomas
October 14
O: Luke Schultz, Denver
D: Trevor Wright, Denver
October 21
O: Rich Monath, Delaware
D: Joao Mesquita, Oral Roberts
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