INDIANAPOLIS – Teams are closing in on their playoff destiny and a possible spot in the super region rankings as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Players of the Week continued on Tuesday.
 
Offensive Player of the Week
Ayden Von Essen
Lake Erie
Forward
Junior
Hamilton, Australia (Saint Francis Xavier)
 
The Storm are perched at the top of the conference standings with 27 points and a 9-2-0 mark in the Great Midwest schedule.
 
Von Essen scored one goal in both games against Ashland and Tiffin for four points on the week as he upped his season point total to 15 (7 G, 1 A).
 
LEC is winners in six of its last seven and figures to have a prominent spot in the NCAA Super Region 3 rankings that will be coming out on Wednesday.
 
Von Essen is the current league leader in game-winning goals (4) in 12 games played. His converted penalty kick in the 11th minute against Ashland which turned out to be the game winner in a 2-0 final.
 
Versus Tiffin, the junior forward converted another PK in a 2-1 win. The Storm engaged the Dragons in a fierce battle where the shot differential was +2 for Tiffin.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Trey McBride
Cedarville
Defense
Junior
Grand Rapids, MI (Grand Rapids Christian HS)
 
The Yellow Jackets are also rolling, on a seven-game win streak of their own entering the late stretch of October.
 
Cedarville remains in contention for the regular season title while clinching a playoff spot with Lake Erie, Ohio Dominican and Walsh, over the past week of play.
 
Cedarville’s defense was locked in during a pair of shutouts on the road at Trevecca Nazarene and Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
McBride was part of a stingy unit that allowed just six shots in the 1-0 win over the Trojans and just nine vs. KWC on Saturday in a 2-0 final.