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PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

FALL 2007
WEEK ENDING 9/9/07

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK  

Edison Bilbao, New Jersey City University
Junior, Midfielder
Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep

Bilbao earns NJAC Player of the Week honors after tallying eight points during three non-conference matches for the Gothic Knights. He opened the week by notching a goal and an assist in a 9-0 victory over John Jay. He then tallied two goals in a 10-0 NJCU blanking of Staten Island in the opening round of NJCU’s Liberty Cup Tournament, before wrapping up the week with an assist in a 4-3 loss to North Carolina Wesleyan. Bilbao, who was named to the Liberty Cup All-Tournament Team, currently ranks tied for second in the NJAC in total points (11).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK  

Nick Mele, Montclair State University
Junior, Goalkeeper
Delran, NJ/Delran

Mele earns NJAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week after collecting 16 combined saves in three non-conference shutouts during the week. After opening the week with a 5-0 shutout of Staten Island, he collected nine saves in the Red Hawks’ scoreless double-overtime draw with Swarthmore at the Skidmore Alumni Invitational. He wrapped up the week with a third shutout in a 1-0 MSU victory over host Skidmore. Mele leads all NJAC goalies in goals against average (0.00) and has not surrendered a goal in 425 minutes of action on the season.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK  

Rafael Duarte, Richard Stockton College
Freshman, Forward
Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City

Duarte earns NJAC Rookie of the Week honors for the second consecutive week after notching four goals for eight points in a pair of victories during the Stockton Seashore Classic. He first tallied two goals in Stockton’s 4-1 win over Farmingdale State. He wrapped up the week by tallying another two goals in the Ospreys’ 9-0 blanking of Hunter. Duarte, who was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the Seashore Classic, currently leads the NJAC in both points (14) and goals (7).

PREVIOUS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK - FALL 2007

  Offensive Player Defensive Player Rookie

Week 1

Dave Marin
Ramapo
Nick Mele
Montclair State
Rafael Duarte
Richard Stockton

Week 2

Edison Bilbao
NJCU
*Nick Mele
Montclair State
Rafael Duarte
Richard Stockton

* Indicates ECAC Player of the Week selection as well