St. John's University Athletics
Gustafsson Named BIG EAST Defensive Player Of The Week
9/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Freshman Joel Gustafsson was named the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon. The freshman played a key role in back-to-back nationally televised shutouts against then-No. 22 Connecticut and Providence and scored the game-winning goal on his first career shot in a 1-0 win over the Friars. Gustafsson joined teammates Jason Landers, Ryan Soroka and Georgios Spanos in earning weekly conference honors this season.
Cincinnati's Kenny Anaba scored one goal and had three assists in the Bearcats wins over Marquette and then-No. 12 Notre Dame to earn Offensive Player of the Week honors, and Seton Hall goalkeeper Ian Joyce made a combined 12 saves in shutout wins over Rutgers and Villanova in being named the conference's Goalkeeper of the Week. Pittsburgh forward Matt Baker was named the Rookie of the Week, and Omar Cummings (Cincinnati), Julius James (Connecticut), Frank Jonke (Louisville), Andy Jorgensen (Pitt) and Joseph Lapira (Notre Dame) were all named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
Gustafsson returned to the St. John's lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury and helped the Red Storm defense post the team's fourth and fifth shutouts of the season. The freshman also found the back of the net for the game-winning goal against Providence, heading a Soroka corner kick past Providence goalkeeper Chris Konopka for a goal on his first career shot. In the team's fifth victory of the season, Gustafsson became the fifth Red Storm player to score a game-winning goal.
St. John's played both UConn and Providence on national television last week, taking on the Huskies in Fox Soccer Channel's College Match of the Week on Thursday, Sept. 14, and the Friars on ESPNU on Sunday, Sept. 17. The Red Storm played the third scoreless tie in its last six tries against UConn and extended a 17-game unbeaten streak against Providence with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.
The Red Storm is back in action on Saturday, Sept. 23 when it travels to Louisville for a 7 p.m. contest against the Cardinals. St. John's then returns to Belson Staidum for key BIG EAST Red Division contests against Syracuse (Sept. 27) and Cincinnati (Sept. 30).
