Oct. 27, 2008

IRVING, Texas – Kentucky’s C.J. Tappel is this week’s Conference USA Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after scoring his first two goals of the season, both game-tying tallies, in UK’s come-from-behind league wins over UCF and Florida International. Tappel notched four points in just 81 minutes on the week. Goalkeeper Craig Hill of SMU is the Defensive Player of the Week. The junior posted a pair of shutouts on the road against UAB and UCF to help the Mustangs climb in the league standings. The clean sheets were his fifth and sixth on the season.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (10/27)
C.J. TAPPEL - Kentucky
So, F, Lexington, Ky.
Tappel had a career week in helping the Wildcats to two come-from-behind victories at home over UCF and FIU to move the Wilcatds’ win streak to a season-high four games. Tappel netted game-tying goals in each of UK’s wins, to tally four points in just 81 minutes. His first goal of the year came against UCF, as UK trailed in the 71st minute beforeTappel struck for the goal, tying the game at 1-1, which set up a Wildcat game-winner eight minutes later. In UK’s two overtime, golden-goal win over FIU, UK faced a 2-1 deficit in the 64th minute when Tappel hooked up with Masumi Turnbull on the equalizer, sending the game to overtime and an eventual Turnbull golden-goal win in the 103rd minute. On the year, Tappel – a 2007 C-USA All-Freshmen team member – has netted two goals and added two assists. The weekly honor is the first of Tappel’s career.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (10/27)
CRAIG HILL - SMU
Jr., GK, San Antonio, Texas
Hill posted a pair of shutouts on the road - his fifth and sixth shutouts of the season - to lead the Mustangs to a pair of 2-0 victories against Conference USA foes UAB and UCF. Hill recorded five saves against the Blazers and eight against the Knights, raising his season saves total to 56 and lowering his goals-against average to 0.85. This is Hill’s first career Player of the Week accolade.