Date Posted: 10/6/2008

MACON, Ga. - With Atlantic Sun play starting last weekend, UNF’s Akil DeFreitas speared the offense with three goals and an assist to win his first Player of the Week award. On the defensive side, Bolade Ogunmade lifted Mercer, picked 10th by the coaches in the preseason poll, to a 1-0-1 mark in the first weekend of conference play to win his second Defensive Player of the Week award, the conference office announced on Monday.

DeFreitas, a communications major, led the Ospreys to a 2-0 start in A-Sun play by scoring seven points over the weekend, including three goals, two of which were game-winners. He netted both UNF goals in a 2-1 win in overtime against ETSU in the A-Sun Men’s Soccer Game of the Week on Friday before netting another and adding an assist in a 3-0 win against USC Upstate on Sunday leading the Ospreys to their third 2-0 start in A-Sun play in their four years in the conference. The sophomore from Port of Spain, Trinidad had scored only one goal in the eight games prior to the weekend, but shot up the statistical leaderboard to fourth in goals (four) and points (nine).

Ogunmade, a Glasgow, Scotland native, won his second Defensive Player of the Week of the season as he scored a pair of goals in Mercer’s 4-1 defeat of FGCU to open the A-Sun slate on Thursday and anchored a stout Mercer defense that held Stetson to only one goal in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bear Field. The economics major tallied his first goal on a header in the 36th minute. His goal turned out to be the game winner as the Bears earned their first victory of the 2008 campaign and snapped an 11-match winless streak dating back to last season. Ogunmade, made good on a penalty kick for his second goal of the contest. Against the Hatters, Ogunmade led a stiff defensive attack that held Stetson to one goal, 0.75 below its season average entering the contest.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life, with a focus on academic and athletic integrity and a balance between the two for the student-athlete, and maintaining a high level of sportsmanship. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun encompasses six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun consists of some of the most dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Other Top Performers

Ian Cameron, Mercer (So. - MF - Glasgow, Scotland – Undeclared) -- Scored a pair of goals and added one assist to lead the Bears to an undefeated record in the first two conference matches of the season; Scored his first two goals of the season while he tacked on an assist against Stetson.

Matthew Hollyoak, UNF (Jr. - D - London, England - Sports Management) -- Played every minute this weekend for UNF, anchoring an Osprey defensive unit that allowed one goal in 195:08 minutes; Led UNF to its second shutout of 2008, 3-0, over USC Upstate on Sunday after taking the league opener over ETSU, 2-1, in OT.

Vince Petrasso, Campbell (Jr. - MF - Woodbridge, Ontario - Computer Information Systems) -- Notched two game-winning goals in as many matches as the Camels opened league play with wins against Stetson and FGCU. He assisted on CU's first goal, then scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Stetson.

Wesley Wray, Belmont (So. - GK- Bowling Green, Ky. - Engineering Physics) -- Made a career-high ten saves in Belmont's 1-1 tie against Lipscomb in both team's A-Sun opener at Drakes Creek Park in Hendersonville, Tenn. on Friday.

A-Sun Weekly Notes

Khalil Johnson posted his first multi-goal game of his career with 2 strikes in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Florida Gulf Coast…Vince Petrasso added his second game-winning goal in as many outings and Josue Soto dealt two assists for the Camels, who have outscored their foes by a 10-3 margin while winning all four matches at home this year…Campbell has not lost to Stetson in the regular season since 2003, posting a 4-0-1 record and a 14-2 goal differential in five matches following Thursday's 2-1 victory in Buies Creek.

The Bisons soccer team was fit to be tied over the weekend with a 1-1 tie at Belmont in the second annual "Battle of the Boulevard" Cup and a 0-0 tie Sunday in a non-conference game at Evansville…The first "Battle of the Boulevard" Cup ended in a tie last season.

The Mercer men's soccer team came out of the first week of conference play unblemished, scoring a 4-1 victory over FGCU on Thursday followed by a 1-1 tie with Stetson on Saturday ... The win over FGCU marked the Bears' first of the season, snapping an 11-match winless streak that dated back to last season ... The win also was the first for first-year head coach Brad Ruzzo and served as the first victory in a conference opener for the program since 2005 ... Mercer's four goals against FGCU were the most the Bears have scored in a match since Nov. 10, 2005, when they defeated Belmont, 4-0, in Macon ... In the match, senior defender Bolade Ogunmade and sophomore midfielder Ian Cameron each scored two goals, the first multi-goal game of each player's Mercer career.

Related Links:
 • A-Sun Men's Soccer Player of the Week List