BOSTON - Just two points separate the top five teams in the America East men's soccer standings with two regular-season games remaining. Albany and UMass Lowell, which face each other Saturday, are tied for first place with 10 points each while New Hampshire and Stony Brook, which beat the River Hawks and Great Danes, respectively, over the weekend, are right behind with nine points apiece. Hartford has won its last two league games and has eight points. Here are the week #9 weekly award winners:
Player of the Week
Bernard Yeboah, Vermont - Sr., Forward, Brescia, Italy
- Tallied three points in Vermont's 2-0 win at Binghamton Saturday.
- Set up Jon Arnar Barodal's goal in the eighth minute and score a late insurance goal.
- This is Yeboah's second Player of the Week award of the season (8/29) and third of his career.
Co-Rookie of the Week
Jimmy Slayton, Hartford - Fr., Goalkeeper, Wethersfield, Conn.
- Stopped all eight shots he faced, including a penalty kick, in Hartford's 1-0 win at UMBC Saturday.
- Registered a 1.00 GAA and .846 save percentage for the week.
- This is his second Rookie of the Week honor of the season 10/3).
Co-Rookie of the Week
Jon Arnar Barodal, Vermont - Fr., Midfielder, Gardabaer, Iceland
- Tallied three points in Vermont's 2-0 win at Binghamton Saturday.
- Scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the game's eight minute and set up Yeboah's late insurance score.
Need to Know
- America East's conference RPI (3) trails only the ACC and Pac 12 amongst the 24 Division I conferences that sponsor men's soccer.
- America East is one of just four conferences, joining the ACC, Big East and Pac 12, with five teams in the top 45 of the RPI.
- UMass Lowell, 9; Albany, 17; New Hampshire, 28; Vermont, 37; Stony Brook, 45
- The league's teams are a combined 46-20-12 in non-conference play thus far in 2016. The .667 non-conference winning percentage is second only to the ACC.
- UMass Lowell is ranked 20th in this week's College Soccer News Top 30 and was #14 in last week's NSCAA Top 25.
- Four America East programs (Albany, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, Vermont) have been ranked in at least one national poll this season.
- Albany beat #3 Syracuse on Oct. 4. The Orange were the highest-ranked opponent an America East team has beaten since Boston University knocked off #3 St. John's in 2009.
Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 29 - Player of the Week: Bernard Yeboah Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Ivan Abramovic, UMass Lowell
Sept. 6 - Player of the Week: Brian Wright, Vermont; Rookie of the Week: Ivan Abramovic, UMass Lowell
Sept. 12 - Player of the Week: Wuilito Fernandes, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Tre Pulliam, UMBC
Sept. 19 - Player of the Week: Andrew Pesci, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Jack Dickson, New Hampshire
Sept. 26 - Player of the Week: Chris Arling, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Jack Dickson, New Hampshire
Oct. 3 - Player of the Week: Andrew Pesci, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week; Rookie of the Week: Jimmy Slayton, Hartford
Oct. 10 - Co-Player of the Week: Afonso Pinheiro, Albany & Thibualt Duval, Stony Brook; Rookie of the Week: Ivan Abramovic, UMass Lowell
Oct. 17 - Player of the Week: Nico Solabarrieta, Albany; Rookie of the Week: Ivan Abramovic, UMass Lowell
Oct. 24 - Player of the Week: Bernard Yeboah, Vermont; Co-Rookie of the Week: Jimmy Slayton, Hartford & Jon Arnar Barodal, Vermont
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