KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Faulkner (Ala.) swept the PrestoSports NAIA Men’s Soccer Players of the Week honors following a pair of shutout victories over (RV) Xavier (La.) and No. 5 William Carey (Miss.). Bernardo Juca was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Andre Ferreira earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Juca scored the game-winning goal in both victories, opening the scoring just six minutes into the 4-0 win over Xavier before finding the net twice in a 2-0 victory over William Carey. His second goal against the Crusaders in the 32nd minute gave him his first brace of the season.
The freshman has now contributed a goal in seven of Faulkner’s nine matches this season as the Eagles moved to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in Southern States Athletic Conference play. The Eagles opened league play against all four SSAC teams that advanced to the national tournament last season and currently sit second in the conference with nine points.
The win over William Carey marked Faulkner’s first victory over a top-five opponent in program history. The Crusaders entered the match having allowed just three goals through their first eight matches, with six clean sheets, and had gone more than 280 minutes without conceding a goal. William Carey also entered the contest ranked among the national leaders in goals scored and eighth in goals per game.
Ferreira anchored the Eagles’ defense in both victories, recording shutouts in each match. Against Xavier, the goalkeeper made a leaping save in the 11th minute to preserve Faulkner’s early lead.
Ferreira was tested throughout the win over William Carey, which entered the match with 13 goals through its first three SSAC contests. He made several key saves to protect the Eagles’ advantage, including a momentum-stopping save off a cross just 30 seconds after Faulkner took the lead and a kick save on a point-blank opportunity early in the second half. Ferreira then made six saves after halftime to preserve the shutout and secure Faulkner’s first top-five win in program history.
The Eagles continue their homestand Thursday against Brewton-Parker (Ga.) before hosting Thomas (Ga.) on Saturday.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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