BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Achara, Georgetown, Jr., F
Both of Achara’s goals last week were game winners, beginning Tuesday with the sixth-minute score at No. 9 Duke. The Hoyas picked up a 1-0 win over the ninth-ranked Blue Devils to knock off their highest ranked opponent since topping No. 3 Maryland on Oct. 17, 2017. The junior forward struck again to lead Georgetown its first BIG EAST win of the season. Achara provided the golden goal in the 95
th minute against DePaul on Friday as the Hoyas picked up a 2-1 overtime victory. Achara ranks tied for second in the BIG EAST with four goals on the year.
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Nico Andersen, Seton Hall, Sr., D
Andersen led a Seton Hall defense which surrendered just one goal in a 2-0 week for the Pirates, including a 2-0 win against BIG EAST foe Marquette. The Pirates outshot their opponents 44-23, including an impressive 16-4 margin in shots on goal. The Andersen-led SHU defense allowed just two of the Golden Eagles’ shots to land on target. Andersen added a bit of offense as well, having a hand in both goals in The Hall’s 2-1 win at Sacred Heart. The senior defender scored the Pirates’ first goal before assisting on JP Marin’s game winner.
BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week
Paul Kruse, Creighton Fr., GK
In the Bluejays’ lone game of the week, Kruse picked up his BIG EAST-leading fifth shutout of the year and helped Creighton claim the lone spot atop the conference standings. Kruse made three saves, all coming in the final 45 minutes, to keep Villanova off the board in the 1-0 Bluejay win. Kruse trimmed his season goals against average to a BIG EAST-best 0.28.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
CJ Tibbling, Seton Hall, Fr., F
Tibbling scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Marquette on Saturday, bumping his season scores total to four to tie for second in the BIG EAST this season. The Hall went 2-0 on the week, with Tibbling totaling 10 shots, including five on goal, with all four of his shots against the Golden Eagles landing on target. The game winner against MU was Tibbling’s second of the season.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Yusuf Cueceoglu, Villanova, So., M
In a 1-1 week for the Wildcats, Cueceoglu had two goals, both coming in Villanova’s 3-2 win over La Salle on Wednesday. The sophomore scored the second and third goals for VU as the Wildcats thwarted off a comeback bid by the Explorers. He added a shot on goal against Creighton on Saturday.
Alex Lehtinin, Butler, Jr., D/M
Lehtinin scored both goals in a 3-2 setback to Providence on Saturday. The junior took three shots, all of which were on target and two of which beat the keeper.
Zachary Nelson, Xavier, R-So., GK
Nelson made a career-high 10 saves in the Musketeers’ 1-1 draw against St. John’s. Xavier extended its unbeaten streak to seven matches following the draw. Nelson has made 23 saves in the last three outings after being forced into action just eight times in XU’s first four matches.
Giannis Nikopolidis, Georgetown, Fr., GK
Nikopolidis went 2-0 last week, picking up a win over No. 9 Duke and BIG EAST foe DePaul. The rookie made six saves, highlighted by five in the Hoyas’ shutout win over the nationally ranked Blue Devils. He finished with an .857 save percentage and 0.49 goals against average.
Gil Santos, Providence, Fr., F
In a 1-1 week for the Friars, Santos scored two goals, both coming in Saturday’s 3-2 win at Butler. Knotted at 1-1, Santos scored the game’s next two goals, just four minutes apart, to give the Friars the lead which they would not relinquish. The freshman added three shots in Tuesday’s setback to rival Rhode Island.