INDIANAPOLIS - With the fourth week of play wrapped up, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Players of the Week for offensive and defensive standouts were released on Monday afternoon.
The week resulted in major changes to the current standings as No. 2 Ohio Valley suffered its first loss of the season to Trevecca. Simply put, the Fighting Scots rarely lose since Luis Rincon has taken over the program and it was OVU’s first conference defeat in 15 games dating back to 2016 against Kentucky Wesleyan.
The Fighting Scots have been ranked at No. 2 for back-to-back weeks in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Lake Erie nearly made it two in a week as the Storm pushed the Fighting Scots to the brink in a double-overtime finish this past week.
League-leading Alderson Broaddus now leads the conference with 13 points in the standings and a 4-2-1 record in conference play. The Battlers went on the road to defeat both Walsh and Malone.
Four teams are currently bunched up for second place with 12 points apiece, including Ohio Dominican and Tiffin. ODU handed the Dragons an overtime loss to pull even in the standings with three precious points.
Cedarville is settled at fifth place and three schools fighting for the sixth spot in the points standings each with seven.
With Ohio Valley facing off against Trevecca again in a rematch already this coming Saturday, the rankings could once again be altered looking ahead to next week.
Offensive Player of the Week
Ethan Keogh
Trevecca
Forward
Senior
Athlone, Ireland (Marist HS)
After a stellar week that started with a goal and an assist in the Trojans’ 6-1 win over Kentucky Wesleyan on Wednesday, Keogh took his game to the next level and delivered the lone goal on Saturday against second-ranked Ohio Valley.
In Wednesday's campaign, Keogh netted the Trojans second of the game goal in the 21st minute, off an assist from Dennis Sparks. This goal put the Trojans in the lead and would wind up be the game winner.
Keogh also assisted Nicolas Reinhard’s scoring shot in the 53rd minute that extended Trevecca's lead to 4-1.
Most impressively, Keogh scored the only goal in Saturday's matchup against a near-impenetrable Fighting Scots back row that had pitched six shutouts and allowed just three goals all season going in.
The mark came in the 52nd minute off a pass from David Brookes to end the Fighting Scots eight-game winning streak and spoil an unbeaten season. The two teams will face each other again this week in Nashville.
Keogh is tied for third in the league for shots (28) after ripping off five shots against Kentucky Wesleyan and unleashing another on Saturday against Ohio Valley. He was top 10 in the league in goals and game-winning goals as a junior in 2017.
Defensive Player of the Week
Tyler Delgado
Trevecca
Goalkeeper
Junior
Spring Hill, TN (Independence HS)
With a shutout over second-ranked Ohio Valley, Delgado picks up his third career Great Midwest Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week nod.
In the Trojans’ 6-1 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan, Delgado faced four shots on goal in his 82 minutes of play, saving three of them.
Delgado was in net for all 90 minutes on Saturday and squared off against counterpart Jorge Bravo, who was the Great Midwest Defensive Player of the Week last week.
On the field, Delgado stopped all five of the Fighting Scots shots on goal to stymie an offense that had scored 26 goals over the first eight games of the season.
Delgado is currently tied for second place among league leaders in saves (37) and is working his way up the rankings in shutouts (1), save percentage (.698) and goals against average (1.98).
He was recognized once in 2016 and 2017 for his work tending net that resulted in conference defensive honors.