CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Goaltenders from the top two teams in the America East men's soccer season are the conference's award winners this week as the regular season winds down:
Player of the Week
Phil Saunders, Sr., UMBC
Perry Hall, Md.
- Saunders made four stops, including three from close range, to lift #7 UMBC to a 2-0 win at UMass Lowell Saturday.
- The shutout was Saunders' third in a row and fifth of the year.
Rookie of the Week
Giovanni Riello, Fr., New Hampshire
Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Picked up two wins in net for the Wildcats last week.
- Made seven saves in the two games, including four in a 2-1 double-overtime victory at Dartmouth Wednesdat and three in a 2-0 win over Binghamton Saturday.
- For the week, Riello had a 0.50 GAA and .875 save percentage.
Around the League
- UMBC (13-1-2, 4-0-2, 14 pts AE) clinched a bye to the semifinal round of the America East Championship with its 2-0 win over UMass Lowell.
- The Retrievers can win the league's regular-season title with a win over Stony Brook Wednesday or a UNH loss or tie.
- UMBC would share the regular-season crown it ties Stony Brook and UNH beats Vermont, but would be the No. 1 seed.
- The Retrievers are ranked sixth in the latest Top Drawer Soccer Top 25, No. 7 in the latest NSCAA Coaches' Poll, 10th in the College Soccer News Poll.
- UMBC ranks 13th nationally in scoring offense (2.0 gpg).
- UNH (11-5-0, 4-2-0, 12 pts AE) beat Binghamton, 2-0, Saturday, its eighth shutout of the year.
- The Wildcats, whose 11 wins are their most since 2006, can clinch the regular-season crown and No. 1 seed for the conference tournament with a win and a UMBC loss to Stony Brook Wednesday.
- UNH, Hartford and Vermont all clinched tournament berths on Saturday.
- Hartford (11-3-3, 3-2-1, 10 pts AE) beat Albany 1-0 behind Damion Lowe's goal Saturday.
- Hartford's 10 wins are its most 2003.
- Vermont (9-3-4, 3-2-1, 10 pts AE) got an overtime score from Scott Kisling to beat Stony Brook 1-0 Saturday.
- Albany (4-10-4, 2-3-1, 7 pts AE), Binghamton (3-8-5, 1-2-3, 6 pts AE) and Stony Brook (6-9-1, 1-4-1, 4 pts AE) are fighting for the final two tournament spots.
- The Great Danes face the Bearcats Wednesday while the Seawolves take on UMBC.
- America East teams are an impressive 41-33-10 (.548) in non-league play this season.
2013 America Men's Soccer Weekly Award Winners
Sept. 3 - Player of the Week: Pete Caringi III, UMBC
Rookie of the Week: Favio Sbarra, Stony Brook
9 - Player of the Week: Pete Caringi III, UMBC
Rookie of the Week: Brian Wright, Vermont
16 - Player of the Week: Stephen Ho, UMBC
Rookie of the Week: David MacKinnon, Hartford
23 - Player of the Week: Geaton Caltabiano, UMBC
Rookie of the Week: Bernard Yeboah, Vermont
30 - Player of the Week: Will Casey, Stony Brook
Rookie of the Week: Wuilito Fernandes, UMass Lowell
Oct. 7 - Player of the Week: Martin Giordano, Stony Brook
Rookie of the Week: Brian Wright, Vermont
14 - Player of the Week: Ugochukwu Uche, New Hampshire
Rookie of the Week: Logan Roberts, Binghamton
21 - Player of the Week: Homero Morais, UMass Lowell
Rookie of the Week: Leonardo Rodrigues, Albany
28 - Player of the Week: Omar Tall, Hartford
Rookie of the Week: Jonathan Interiano, Albany
Nov. 4 - Player of the Week: Phil Saunders, UMBC
Rookie of the Week: Giovanni Riello, New Hampshire