SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Massachusetts goalkeeper Dean Linden and Kansas City midfielder Raphael Kistmann earned the latest Kwik Star Summit League Men’s Soccer Peak Performer of the Week accolades, league officials announced Tuesday. Both student-athletes earned the first weekly honors of their respective careers.

In his first start in more than a month and just his third of the season, Linden made three saves to record his second shutout of the season in the Minutemen’s 2-0 blanking of Dartmouth. The Westford, Mass., native backed that up by making a career-high 12 saves, which were the most by a Summit League goalkeeper in a match this season, in a 0-0 draw with St. Thomas.

Playing a man down for the final 32 minutes, the UMass defense withstood a 16-shot barrage by the Tommies in the second half that saw Linden make 10 saves to preserve a key point in the chase for a postseason berth.

Kistmann has now scored in three straight matches after going goalless in his first 11 appearances of the season. He padded KC’s lead with a 59^th-minute goal in a 2-0 win at Tulsa.

The Caxambu, Brazil native then scored the game-winning goal, his second during KC’s current five-match win streak, at Michigan State, finishing off a corner kick in the 50^th minute vs. the Spartans.

OFFENSIVE PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Raphael Kistmann, Kansas City
Sr. | MF | Caxambu, Brazil

• Tallied a goal in three straight matches after scoring in 2-0 road wins at Tulsa and Michigan State last week
• Scored the game-winning goal vs. the Spartans in the 50^th minute to give the Roos five straight wins
• This is the first career Summit League weekly honor for Kistmann

Also nominated: Kyle McGowan (Denver).

DEFENSIVE PEAK PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Dean Linden, Massachusetts
So. | GK | Westford, Mass.

• Made three saves in a 2-0 shutout of Dartmouth in just his third start of the season
• Secured another clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at St. Thomas that included a career-high 12 saves
• This is the first career Summit League weekly accolade for Linden

Also nominated: Joao Mesquita (Oral Roberts); Guille Munoz (Kansas City); Isaac Nehme (Denver); JoJo Elliott (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

October 28
O: Raphael Kistmann, Kansas City
D: Dean Linden, UMass

#SummitMSOC