DePaul University Athletics
Steffen Vroom Named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
10/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO DePaul’s Steffen Vroom was named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Blue Demons to a pair of league victories over USF and Cincinnati. He scored the game-winning goal in each game and assisted DePaul’s first score in the 2-1 win over the Bearcats on Saturday.
Vroom scored his BIG EAST-leading third and fourth game-winning goals this season in the wins over the Bulls and Bearcats. In a 1-0 win against No. 11/10 USF on Oct. 7, the junior forward beat USF’s backline and goalkeeper for the lone goal of the game. He followed that with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over Cincinnati on Oct. 11. He assisted on DePaul’s first goal in the 36th minute before heading home the gamewinner through a sea of bodies in the 42nd minute. This is his first Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Goalkeeper Brian Visser was named to the league’s Weekly Honor Roll for the second straight week after allowing just a penalty kick goal in the two matches. He registered his 24th career shutout in the win over USF and gathered a season-high eight saves against Cincinnati.
Providence captured two 1-0 shutout wins this past week, including a victory over No. 13/11 Connecticut. Tim Murray earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week honors, while Chris Stoker was named Rookie of the Week after scoring the game-winning tally in the West Virginia win. Notre Dame’s Matt Besler earned defensive honors from the BIG EAST.
Murray led Providence to back-to-back shutouts, securing 1-0 home wins over No. 13/11 Connecticut on Oct. 8 and West Virginia on Oct. 11. The junior keeper recorded a total of six saves as he faced 19 shots in the wins.
Stoker netted the game-winning goal in Providence’s 1-0 home win over West Virginia on Oct. 11. Entering the game off the bench, the freshman headed in a 40-yard cross with 4:10 left in the first half.
Besler helped Notre Dame to a 2-0 week with wins over Michigan State (3-0) on Oct. 8 and Pittsburgh (4-1) on Oct. 11. The senior defender was the cog in an Irish defense that allowed just one goal in 180 minutes of play. The Irish defense allowed four shots on goal in each game and Besler helped hold Michigan State’s Doug DeMartin, who entered the game as the nation’s second-leading scorer, to just one shot.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Nelson Becerra, St. John’s, Jr., MF; Zach Boggs, USF, Jr., F; Bright Dike, Notre Dame, Sr., F; Alex Verdi, Georgetown, So., D; Brian Visser, DePaul, Sr., GK