Big South Announces Men's Soccer Players of the Week - Sept. 2

Big South Announces Men's Soccer Players of the Week - Sept. 2

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – UNC Asheville forward Rodrigo Mendes (Vila do Conde, Portugal) has been named the Big South Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, while USC Upstate goalkeeper Jarrett Wuerslin (Charlotte, N.C.) is the Defensive Player of the Week for matches played Aug. 25-31, it was announced today. In addition, USC Upstate midfielder Oscar Kelly (Manchester, England) has been selected as the Freshman of the Week.
 
Mendes scored all three goals in UNC Asheville’s 3-1 win over Georgia State, recording the first hat trick of his career. The senior opened the scoring with a header in the 23rd minute and added the eventual game-winner in the 31st to give the Bulldogs a two-goal lead. He later converted a penalty kick in the 74th minute to complete the hat trick and secure Asheville’s first victory over the Panthers since 1997. Mendes totaled six shots in 88 minutes. 
 
Wuerslin recorded three saves, including two in the final 10 minutes, to secure USC Upstate’s 2-1 road win over South Carolina on Friday. He finished with a .750 save percentage on 23 shots faced, while all three saves came on 18 shots in the second half, including a pair of stops in the 81st and 83rd minutes to help maintain a one-goal lead. The win marked his first collegiate victory in goal and Upstate’s first win of the season. 
 
Kelly scored the decisive game-winner at South Carolina, the first winning goal of his collegiate career. After the Gamecocks tied the match in the 77th minute, the freshman converted a penalty kick just 42 seconds later to put USC Upstate back in front, 2-1. Kelly finished with three shots, including two on goal, while playing all 90 minutes.
 
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week: Samson Kpardeh (Gardner-Webb), Brando Bedolla (Longwood) and Oskar Kaufmann (USC Upstate). 
 
Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week: Alan Horrocks (Gardner-Webb).
 
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Prosper Adagani (High Point), Aloni Elfu (Presbyterian) and Christian Robertson (Radford).