Tate Robertson Named Men's Soccer Player of the Week
Tate Robertson, Bowling Green, Midfielder
Sophomore, Springfield, Ohio/Catholic Central
Bowling Green sophomore midfielder Tate Robertson was involved in the scoring of all three of BGSU’s goals last week. Robertson had a goal and an assist in the Falcons’ 2-2 tie with Akron, as BG remained in first place in the MAC with the result. He scored the first goal of the game, on a one-timer from 40 yards out after the UA goalkeeper had come out to knock a ball out of the box. Then, his cross into the box resulted in the Falcons’ second goal of the night. The three-point game was the first of his career. Robertson also had an assist on Joe Sullivan’s goal vs. Fort Wayne in the Falcons’ midweek match. He had a team-leading four shots vs. the Mastodons, and added a pair of shots vs. the Zips. Robertson’s four points on the week give him a total of five on the season and eight in his BG career. The Falcons are 9-5-3 overall, and BGSU leads the MAC with a 2-0-2 league record heading into the final week of the regular season.
Other Nominees
Nick Hinds, Akron, Defense
Freshman, Plantation, Fla./Roosevelt
Freshman Nick Hinds helped the Zips post a 1-0-1 mark last week registering team-high marks in goals (1), assists (1), points (3) and shots on goal (3), while ranking second in shots (7).
In Akron’s 2-0 victory over Ohio State, he contributed an assist on Jonathan Lewis’ game-winning goal in the fifth minute before netting his first collegiate tally in the 24th minute. His efforts defensively also enabled the Zips to record their eighth shutout of the season.
In Akron’s 2-2 double-overtime draw with Bowling Green, he recorded three shots from his defender’s slot.
On the season, he owns a goal and three assists on 14 shots and has helped the Zips to post eight shutouts.
Joseph Kuta, Buffalo, Goalkeeper
Junior, Mississauga, Ontario/St. Joan of Arc
Junior goalkeeper Joseph Kuta continued to shine between the pipes over the weekend as he was able to earn a perfect 2-0 record with a pair of clean sheets. The Mississauga, Ontario native was only asked to make one save in the Bulls 1-0 win over Northern Illinois on Friday night but it was a big one as he was able to make a diving stop to preserve his eighth shutout of the season. On Sunday, Kuta needed to be more active as he finished off his clean sheet with three saves including a big diving stop on a header attempt in the second half. On the year, Kuta owns an 11-3-2 overall record to go along with a 0.85 goals-against average and nine clean sheets. The nine shutouts ranks him second all-time in shutouts in a season for an UB goalkeeper while his 11 wins ranks him fourth in program history for wins in a season. The junior has been spectacular in non-conference matches this season as he owns a 9-2-1 record with a 0.66 goals-against, .833 save percentage and eight shutouts. He currently owns a shutout streak of 204:17 heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
Diego Lopez, Western Michigan, Midfielder
Senior, Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw
Diego Lopez netted what would be the game-winning goal in Western Michigan’s 2-1 victory over West Virginia Saturday. The win was the Broncos’ first ever against the Mountaineers in five all-time meetings. The victory also helped WMU (9-4-4) clinch a spot in the upcoming MAC Tournament. The Broncos are unbeaten in conference play, owning a 1-0-3 record. Lopez’s goal was his fourth of the year.
