INDIANAPOLIS -- Sparked by a hat trick, Cleveland State junior forward Aaron Adkins (Bay Village, Ohio) has been named Horizon League Men’s Soccer Player of the Week, for the week of Oct. 3-9. The award is the first of Adkins’ career.
Cleveland State (5-6-1, 2-1-1 Horizon) went 2-0 last week, recording a non-conference overtime win at Pittsburgh, 1-0, before knocking off Loyola, 4-0, at Krenzler Field. With seven points, the Vikings are locked in a three-way tie atop the Horizon League ladder with Valparaiso and Wright State.
Adkins posted his first career hat trick in the Saturday win over Loyola, collecting goals in the ninth, 54th and 56th minutes. The junior opened the scoring after receiving the ball outside the 18 and weaving his way through traffic, sneaking it past the keeper to record the eventual game-winner.
In the 54th minute, a sliding attempt from Adkins found the back of the net as he converted a pass from Jordan Hart. Adkins closed the scoring with a goal just two minutes later.
The three-goal outburst moved Adkins into a tie for fourth among the Horizon League’s leaders in goals with five on the year. Adkins hat trick is the third in the League this season, joining the two recorded by UIC’s Ivan Stanisavljevic.
Adkins and Stanisavljevic will square off on Friday, Oct. 14, as Cleveland State travels to Flames Field for a meeting with UIC (6-2-3, 1-0-1 Horizon). The match will begin at 8 p.m. ET.
Top Performers for the Week:
- Jon Dawson, Butler (So., GK) - Dawson recorded his first shutout of 2011 in a 0-0 draw against UIC. The sophomore saved all three shots on frame versus the Horizon League’s top offense.
- Adam Bedell, Detroit (So., M) - With the equalizing goal in a 2-2 tie versus Milwaukee, Bedell moved into a tie with for the team lead in points with nine (three goals, three assists).
- Stuart Grable, Green Bay (Sr., M) - Down three starters because of injury, Grable fueled Green Bay’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit at Tulsa, assisting on both the equalizing and game-winning goals in the second half. The 3-2 win snapped a three-game skid for the Phoenix.
- Brian Bement, Loyola (Fr., F) - Bement scored the game-winning goal in Loyola’s 1-0 win over visiting Oakland, the first home victory of the season for the Ramblers. In his freshman season, Bement leads Loyola in both goals (three) and shots (21).
- Robert Refai, Milwaukee (Sr., F) - Refai tallied goals in both of Milwaukee’s matches this week, collecting the tying goal in an eventual 2-1 loss at Michigan State and netting the first goal of the match in the Panthers’ 2-2 draw at Detroit. With six goals, Refai is tied for second in the Horizon League.
- Piotr Kikolski, UIC (So., GK) - In a 0-0 draw at Butler, Kikolski turned aside all five Bulldog shots on goal to collect the shutout. Kikolski has started all 11 matches for the Flames, posting two shutouts in 2011.
- Sam Haines, Valparaiso (Jr., F) - Haines tallied the game-winning goal in Valparaiso’s 1-0 road win at Wright State. The victory put the Crusaders atop the League ladder with seven points.
- Craig Feehan, Wright State (Fr., GK) - Feehan made six saves in a 1-0 setback to Valparaiso.
Men’s Soccer Players of the Week:August 22:
Anthony Shepherd, Detroit
August 29:
Eric Frazier, UIC
September 5:
Austin Oldham, Butler
September 12:
Ivan Stanisavljevic, UIC
September 19:
Gerardo Saavedra, Milwaukee
September 26:
Ivan Stanisavljevic, UIC
October 3:
Aaron Adkins, Cleveland State
Tags: Cleveland State - Men's Soccer · Horizon League - Men's Soccer
