SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Jacksonville midfielder Eric Applegate and Richmond goalkeeper Benny Pugh have been named the Southern Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for games played April 25-30, the league office announced Tuesday. Selections are made by the conference office.
Applegate led Jacksonville to a 17-11 win over Bellarmine in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, helping the Dolphins secure a spot in the SoCon Championship after tallying seven points on three goals and four assists. Applegate's seven points are a career-high, while his hat trick is the third of his career and his first of 2017. The sophomore racked up six of his seven points in the second and third periods, while his seventh point came in the fourth period on an assist to teammate Brett Reilly.
The weekly award is Applegate's first of his career.
Jacksonville (3-10, 3-4 SoCon) will make its first-ever SoCon Championship appearance as they take on the top-seeded Air Force Falcons on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on the SoCon Digital Network.
Pugh garners his sixth SoCon Defensive Player of the Week award after holding Furman, which led the league in goals per game (14.00) entering Saturday's contest, to just three goals in his 49 minutes of action in the Spiders' 13-4 win. The senior totaled 11 saves, eight of which came in the first half, on 14 shots on goal to earn a 78.6 save percentage en route to guiding the Spiders to a share of the SoCon regular season title. His performance against Furman marked the 11th game this season with at least 10 saves.
The Powhatan, Virginia, native leads the nation in goals-against average, holding Spider opponents to just 5.87 goals per game while in net, and ranks first in save percentage (67.6).
Pugh and the Spiders (11-3, 6-1) return to action in the SoCon Championship semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m. in a rematch of Saturday's contest against the third-seeded Paladins at Robins Stadium. The contest will air on the SoCon Digital Network, while Saturday's championship game will air on ESPN3.
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week: Grant Gould (Air Force), Chris Rahill (Mercer) and J.P. Forester (Richmond).
Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week: Trent Harper (Air Force), Hunter Forbes (Jacksonville) and Will Beecham (Mercer).
2017 Offensive Players of the Week
Feb. 14: Teddy Hatfield, Richmond
Feb. 21: Jake Nelson, Mercer
Feb. 28: Ryan Lee, Richmond
March 8: Lucas Wittenberg, Mercer
March 14: Nick Hruby, Air Force
March 21: Chris Walsch, Air Force
March 28: David Williamson, Furman
April 4: Chris Rahill, Mercer
April 11: Lou Yovino, Furman
April 18: McLean Chicquen, Jacksonville
April 25: Tucker Ciessau, Bellarmine
May 1: Eric Applegate, Jacksonville
2017 Defensive Players of the Week
Feb. 14: Benny Pugh, Richmond
Feb. 21: Benny Pugh, Richmond
Feb. 28: Trent Harper, Air Force
March 8: Alec Van de Bovenkamp, Furman
March 14: Ryan Dennis, Richmond
March 21: Benny Pugh, Richmond
March 28: Benny Pugh, Richmond
April 4: Brandon Jones, Air Force
April 11: Brandon Jones Air Force
April 18: Hunter Forbes, Jacksonville
April 25: Brandon Jones, Air Force
May 1: Benny Pugh, Richmond
-www.SoConSports.com-