CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Clutch performances by players from the top two teams in the America East men's soccer standings have netted them the conference's men's soccer weekly honors. The final awards of the 2012 season, for the week ending Oct. 28, were announced Monday morning.
For the second time in three weeks, UMBC's Pete Caringi III has earned America East men's soccer Player of the Week honors as he carried his team to pair of crucial league wins by tallying 10 points. Charlie DeFeo picked up Rookie of the Week accolades after scoring the game-winning goal to lift Vermont to its regular-season title clinching win.
Caringi (Perry Hall, Md.) racked up five goals, including four in one game, to lead the Retrievers to two wins, which earned them the No. 2 seed for the upcoming America East Championship, and earned Player of the week honors as a result. The junior striker, who been on a tear of late, scoring nine goals in his last five games, racked up four scores in UMBC's 7-1 win over Hartford Wednesday. The four scores were the most for a UMBC player since Ted Lawler equaled the feat against Maryland Eastern Shore in 1995. The four-point game was the first by an America East player since Stony Brook's Chris Megaloudis accomplished the feat on Sept. 11, 2005 and first in a conference game since Vermont's Matt Chavez had eight on Oct. 4, 2003 against Boston U.
Caringi, who has earned Player of the Week honors three times this year (Sept. 4, Oct. 15), also scored in UMBC's 3-0 win over Binghamton Saturday, which clinched the tournament's No. 2 seed and a quarterfinal round bye. He is the league leader with 32 points on 14 goals and four assists this year. Nine of those scores and 21 of the points came in America East games, both the fifth-most in league history and most by any player since 2003 and 2001, respectively.
DeFeo (Newfields, N.H.) tallied the game-winning score in Vermont's 2-1 overtime win against Stony Brook Saturday to earn Rookie of the Week honors. The win sealed Vermont's first America East regular-season crown since 1989. DeFeo, a freshman forward, knocked in a loose ball in the 100th minute to break the 1-1 tie and seal the outcome. He has played in all 17 games this season and scored twice.
Vermont and UMBC will be the top two seeds for the America East Championship, which will be begin with quarterfinal action on Saturday. Third-seeded Stony Brook will host sixth-seeded Binghamton while fourth-seeded Albany will entertain fifth-seeded New Hampshire. For more tournament information visit Championship Central.
2012 America East Men's Soccer Weekly Award Winners
Aug. 27 - Player of the Week: Scott Kisling (Vermont); Rookie of the Week: Alejandro Fritz (Stony Brook)
Sept. 4 - Player of the Week: Pete Caringi III (UMBC); Rookie of the Week: Anthony Rozzano (Albany)
Sept. 10 - Co-Players of the Week: Travis Worra (New Hampshire), Conor Leland (Vermont); Rookie of the Week: Javoni Simms (Hartford)
Sept. 17 - Player of the Week: Leonardo Fernandes (Stony Brook); Rookie of the Week: Javoni Simms (Hartford)
Sept. 24 - Player of the Week: Milo Kapor (UMBC); Rookie of the Week: Martin Giordano (Stony Brook)
Oct. 1 - Player of the Week: Jake Keegan (Binghamton); Rookie of the Week: Viltsu Tuumi (Hartford)
Oct. 8 - Player of the Week: Joe Losier (Vermont); Rookie of the Week: Carlos Ruiz (Boston U.)
Oct. 15 - Player of the Week: Pete Caringi III (UMBC); Rookie of the Week: Kit Alexieff (Albany)
Oct. 22 - Player of the Week: Anthony Santaga (Hartford); Rookie of the Week: Viltsu Tuumi (Hartford
Oct. 29 - Player of the Week: Pete Caringi III (UMBC); Rookie of the Week: Charlie DeFeo (Vermont)