INDIANAPOLIS – After earning some key points in the standings, Kentucky Wesleyan and Trevecca Nazarene split Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Players of the Week honors that were announced Monday.
 
A three-way tie has formed at the top with 2019 NCAA qualifiers Cedarville, Ohio Valley and Lake Erie, all with 3 conference points. Findlay is next with eight while Kentucky Wesleyan has seven.
 
The teams tied for first are all ranked by the United Soccer Coaches organization in the Division II Poll. Ohio Valley is at No. 9, Cedarville is at No. 19 and Lake Erie is at No. 25.
 
Offensive Player of the Week
Julian Gonzalez
Kentucky Wesleyan
Forward
Junior
Madrid, Spain
 
Three goals in two games courtesy of the junior Gonzalez helped the Panthers secure four points in the conference standings totals.
 
Gonzalez has scored in each contest so far for the Panthers, who are really turning heads this spring with their start to the season. KWC tied Findlay, a team that has had their number in recent history, and blanked Malone on the road, to improve to 2-0-1.
 
Gonzalez scored in the 12th minute against the Oilers and the Panthers made their shots count in this one despite Findlay having a 27-5 advantage in the stats. Teammate
Jake Peveler scored later in the first half to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead at the break.
 
Gonzalez then accounted for both Kentucky Wesleyan goals in Canton against the Pioneers in a 2-0 win. He netted his first goal in the 39th minute and with just under five minutes left in regulation, found his footing on a double assist by Peveler and Elijah Easterday.
 
Gonzalez is leading the team with his four goals in three games. He has already been credited with two game winners and has taken five shots, all on target.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Jonas Grossman
Trevecca Nazarene
Midfield
Junior
Wundersleben, Germany / Pierre-de-Coubertin Gymnasium Erfurt Special
 
Another team with primary purple as the color, the Trojans slowed down a high-powered Lake Erie offense on the road in a 1-0 shutout for their first conference win of the spring. Lake Erie came into the game ranked 25th nationally.
 
Grossman was a big part of the defensive effort at midfield, tasked with marking offensive threat Ayden Von Essen and a host of other talented LEC playmakers.
 
He also displayed his scoring prowess while driving home the game winner in the 73rd minute to lift his team to victory.
 
Grossman also helped limit Lake Erie to 11 shots in the game as keepers Tyler Delgado and Isaac Layman combined for five saves. The Trojans improved to 2-4-0 overall and 1-3-0 in league play.