Men’s Team of the Week: Sept. 25-Oct. 1

by TopDrawerSoccer

October 3, 2017

A slow start to 2017 is already well in the rearview mirror for California.

With two losses from its first three games, the Golden Bears were shaping up to have another difficult season.

One month later, and it’s a different tune. With two Pac-12 wins under its belt over the past week, California now has won six straight games. On Thursday, Cal beat UCLA 2-0 on the road, and on Sunday, edged San Diego State by a 1-0 score.

Player of the Week: Shinya Kadono, California

Shinya Kadono played a big role in both to net the latest Player of the Week honors. Kadono tallied an insurance goal in the win over UCLA, and scored the winner against the Aztecs.

Check out the other top performers from the past week of Division I men’s action below.

Team of the Week (September 25-October 1):

GK Mario Sequeira, VCU – Playing down a man for almost half the game, the Costa Rican goalkeeper kept the game at 0-0 with seven saves. It set the table for a much-needed overtime victory for VCU, which won 1-0 in overtime.

D Trey Vinson, UMBC – It was a solid week for the Retrievers on home turf, drawing Maryland by a 1-1 score, and keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win to open up America East play against New Hampshire. Vinson played all 200 minutes across the two games, leading a solid defensive effort.

D Callum Carsley, Manhattan – One year after struggling through most of 2016, Manhattan open up conference play with a pair of wins. Carsley played every minute of both of them, a 1-0 win against Iona and a 5-0 defeat of Marist.

D Nate Shultz, Akron – Winners of three straight, the Zips continue to improve ahead of another MAC season. Shultz played a big role in Akron’s 4-1 victory against Michigan State, finding the back of the net twice. He also played the full 103 minutes in Saturday’s overtime win over St. Mary’s (CA).

M Shinya Kadono, California – With his two goals, Kadono now sits atop the scoring charts at Cal, and will continue to be a big part of what the team can accomplish this season.

M Austin Panchot, Indiana – The junior midfielder continues to spark Indiana off the bench, as he scored the winning goal against Notre Dame during IU’s mid-week triumph at home. He also chipped in two assists in a win against Santa Clara.

M Ema Twumasi, Wake Forest – Twumasi’s goal total continued to climb, as he tacked on three big tallies last week. He scored a late, game-winning goal as Wake Forest edged South Carolina 2-1, and he scored twice in regulation as the Demon Deacons defeated Clemson by a 3-2 score in overtime.

F Edward Kizza, Pittsburgh – A banner week saw Jay Vidovich’s rebuilding effort took a significant step forward. Kizza scored twice as the Panthers routed West Virginia 7-0, and the freshman hit the target again as Pitt won its first-ever ACC game and first conference game since 2011.

F Justin Donawa, Dartmouth – Rolling into Ivy League play on a high, Donawa ensured that there was no disappointment for the Big Green. He scored and assisted in a 2-1 victory over Princeton on Saturday.

F Tariq Branche, Pacific – Down a man for more than a half on the road, Branche ensured Pacific would leave West Virginia with a solid win. He scored twice in a 2-0 victory, as Pacific held on for the win despite playing with 10 men.

F Santiago Patino, Florida International – The junior continued to climb the goal-scoring charts and help his side to a pair of lopsided wins last season. Patino scored once in a 5-0 defeat of North Florida, and was on the double as FIU beat Florida Atlantic 4-1 on Saturday.

Honorable Mention: F Kieran Roberts (Radford), F Samson Sergi (Xavier), M Cameron Lindley (North Carolina), F Colin Brezniak (Pittsburgh), M Drew Skundrich (Stanford), GK Anthony Mwembia (Bowling Green), F Rex Epps (Army)