November 10, 2009

Rio's Lopes collects MSC Offensive Player of the Week honors

Louisville, Ky. --- University of Rio Grande junior mid-fielder Ederson Lopes is the Mid-South Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

The final weekly conference award is Lopes' first of the season.

Lopes scored, a school-record, six goals and assisted on another to earn Mid-South Conference Offensive Player of the Week. The Sao Paulo, Brazil, junior midfielder helped the RedStorm advance to the Mid-South Conference Tournament semifinals with a 13-0 win over St. Catharine College.

"It's good that Eddie got recognized, he's obviously has had his ups and downs this season, just because he missed 2 ½ weeks resting an injury," Rio Grande head coach Scott Morrissey said. "Statistically speaking he would be a lot further along had he played in some of the matches that he didn't participate in."

"It was nice for him to get recognition," Morrissey added. "It's funny, if Richard (Isberner) was healthy and not sick last week, Richard would have been up front and Eddie would've been back in the mid-field, but anyway, it's good that Eddie got that recognition. He's a top-class player and I'm happy for him."

No. 6-ranked Rio Grande improves to 15-2-2 on the season entering its match with University of the Cumberlands on Thursday at the conference tournament in Georgetown, Ky.