Men's Soccer

UC Irvine Sweeps Men’s Soccer Weekly Awards

All-Time Big West Men's Soccer Weekly Winners >>>
Offensive Player of the Week
Gage Lyons, UC Irvine | Senior • Forward • McLean, Va.
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  • UC Irvine forward Gage Lyons amassed two goals and one assist in two wins to earn The Big West Offensive Player of the Week award. It is Lyons’ first career offensive honor from the conference.
     
  • The Anteater senior scored the lone goal in UC Irvine’s 1-0 win against San Diego State on Wednesday.
     
  • Lyons scored the first goal, which proved to be the eventual game-winner, in a 3-0 win at Sacramento State on Saturday. The McLean, Va. product added an assist to the tally later in the game.
     
  • UC Irvine is 8-5-2 overall and 3-1-1 in league play. Lyons has a conference-leading seven goals on the season to go along with four assists.

    Also Nominated: Sean Battistessa (Sacramento State), Steinar Bjornsson (UC Santa Barbara), Kevin Rodriguez (Cal State Bakersfield), Trevor Walk (Utah Valley).
Defensive Player of the Week
Gustavo Gonzalez, UC Irvine | Sophomore • Defender • Santa Ana, Calif.
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  • UC Irvine defender Gustavo Gonzalez was the defensive catalyst in two shutout wins and added two assists to secure The Big West Defensive Player of the Week honor. It is the first career defensive weekly honor for Gonzalez.
     
  • The Santa Ana, Calif. native assisted the lone goal of the game in the Anteaters' 1-0 home win over San Diego State, Wednesday night.
     
  • Gonzalez and the UC Irvine defense added another shutout to their tally on Saturday with a 3-0 road triumph at Sacramento State.
     
  • UC Irvine has a 8-5-2 overall record with a 3-1-1 league record. Gonzalez had played in all 15 games with 14 starts this season, for a team second-best 1,252 minutes on the pitch. 

    Also Nominated: Zenden Hart (Cal State Bakersfield), Jackson Medina (Utah Valley).
Rookie of the Week
Pierce Rizzo, UC Irvine | Freshman • Midfielder • Phoenix, Ariz.
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  • UC Irvine's Pierce Rizzo contributed a goal to be named The Big West Rookie of the Week. This is Rizzo’s first career weekly honor from the conference.
     
  • The first-year Anteater played 61 minutes in a 1-0 shutout win over San Diego State, Wednesday night.
     
  • In 38 minutes of action, Rizzo scored a career first goal in a 3-0 road win at Sacramento State on Saturday.
     
  • UC Irvine is 8-5-2 overall and is 3-1-1 in league play.
Also Nominated: Martin Odegaard Oesthagen (UC Santa Barbara), Luca Wingaa Laursen (Utah Valley).