Men's Soccer

MVC Men's Soccer Weekly Notebook (Sept. 23)

ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference announced its men's soccer weekly honors on Tuesday. Belmont's Paul Claes Nielsen is the MVC Player of the Week and UIC's Jacobo Cruz is the league's Defensive Player of the Week.

Conference News & Notes
  • The eight-match unbeaten streaks pieced together by Belmont (5-0-3) and Drake (5-0-3) to start the year mark program records for each institution, while UIC’s 7-0-1 ledger is the best start to a season by the Flames since 1997.
  • The Missouri Valley Conference joins the Sun Belt as the only two leagues with at least three unbeaten teams remaining - the most across any leagues nationally.
  • As a league, The Valley has the seventh-most wins in Division I with 28.
  • In the first RPI issued on Monday, the MVC found three men’s soccer programs inside the Top 100. Drake leads the way at 46, while UIC sits at 53 and Belmont checks in at 76.
  • UIC’s goal differential of 16 is the sixth-best mark in the country. The Flames are the only team in the MVC to be in double figures in the category. Additionally, UIC is averaging 3.00 goals per game, which is the third-best mark in Division I. The Flames are first in the nation with 29 assists, and second in total goals (24) and total points (77).
  • Evansville earned its league-leading fifth draw of the season on the road at Dayton last Wednesday. The Purple Aces are tied with the Flyers, DePaul and La Salle for the most nationally.
  • Western Michigan’s nine goals against Adrian College on Monday night are tied for the second-most in a match in Division I this season. 
  • UIC tandem of Edouard Nys and Carlos Nevarez rank among the best nationally in several categories
  • Nevarez is tied for the most assists (6) while Nys follows closely behind with 5. Nys leads Division I with 5.38 shots per match while ranking second with eight goals and 21 total points. 
  • Bowling Green goalie Enzo Gil is fourth in Division I with 41 total saves, averaging a league-best 5.86 saves per contest.
  • As a team, Belmont leads The Valley in save percentage (.871) and goals against average (.500). Both statistical figures are the 13th-best nationally. 
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PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Paul Claes Nielsen, Belmont, Fr., Midfielder - Copenhagen, Denmark (Rybners Gymnasium)
Belmont’s Paul Claes Nielsen registered four points in a pair of shutout victories by the Bruins last week. He notched his first-career goal and eventual game winner in the 30th minute at Southern Indiana on Wednesday. Claes Nielsen assisted on both of Belmont’s goals in the 28th Annual Battle of the Boulevard at nearby rival Lipscomb on Sunday night, helping lead the Bruins to a 2-nil victory. His performance aided in the Bruins’ efforts to extend their unbeaten streak this season to a program-record eight matches and 10-straight dating back to last year.
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jacobo Cruz, UIC, Jr., Defender - Burlington, Ontario, Canada (McMaster)
UIC defender Jacobo Cruz played a pivotal role in both UIC wins last week, scoring his first two goals in a Flames’ kit in the second half of UIC’s 3-1 road win at Chicagoland rival Loyola on Sept. 15. Three nights later, he anchored the Flames’ backline that pitched its third shutout of the season over another Windy City foe, Chicago State. Collectively, Cruz and the UIC defense held their opponents to just three shots on goal apiece while improving to 7-0-1 this season - the Flames’ best start since 1997.

Selections based on performances in matches Sept. 15-21