GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Virginia Tech sophomore forward Kristo Strickler has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, while Wake Forest senior defender sophomore Logan Gdula is this week’s ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
Strickler totaled eight points on three goals and two assists in a 2-0 week for the Hokies that included a 5-2 upset win at No. 16 Notre Dame. He opened the week with a goal and an assist in a 4-0 rout of William & Mary, tallying a goal in the first half and providing an assist on the final goal of the night. Then, on Friday in South Bend, Stickler led a furious comeback by the Hokies who trailed 2-0 at the half. In the 46th minute, the sophomore was on the scoresheet beating the Fighting Irish at the near post. Strickler followed with the game winner 13 minutes later in the 59th minute with a fantastic curled effort to the far post. He also earned an assist as part of the buildup to the Hokies' fourth goal of the game.
Gdula proved to be critical to Wake Forest’s comeback efforts at No. 6 Virginia on Saturday as he scored the game-tying goal in the 77th-minute. Aristotle Zarris found Gdula open inside the box, where he chipped it over Virginia’s Colin Shutler to knot the score at 2-2. Wake Forest went on to win the game 3-2 and earn its fourth straight ACC Atlantic Division title.
Earlier in the week, the East Lyme, Connecticut native helped lead the Demon Deacon backline to its fifth shutout of the season, 2-0, at South Carolina on Tuesday.
Two league matches highlight Tuesday’s slate of games, while conference play wraps up this weekend. Seeds for the 2018 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship will be announced on Saturday, Oct. 27.
ACC Men’s Soccer Weekly Awards
Week 1 – Aug. 28
Offensive: Bruno Lapa, Jr., M, Wake Forest
Defensive: Colin Shutler, R-So., GK, Virginia
Week 2 – Sept. 3
Offensive: Gabriel Machado, Jr., M, NC State
Defensive: Patrick Berneski, GS, D, Notre Dame
Week 3 – Sept. 10
Co-Offensive: Simon Enstrom, Sr., F, Boston College
Omir Fernandez, So., M, Wake Forest
Defensive: Felicien Dumas, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Week 4 – Sept. 17
Offensive: Omir Fernandez, So., M, Wake Forest
Defensive: Colin Shutler, R-So., GK, Virginia
Week 5 – Sept. 24
Offensive: Giovanni Montesdeoca, So., F, North Carolina
Defensive: Leon Krapf, So., GK, NC State
Week 6 – Oct. 1
Offensive: Giovanni Montesdeoca, So., F, North Carolina
Defensive: Alex Comsia, Sr., D, North Carolina
Week 7 – Oct. 8
Offensive: Sean MacLeod, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Defensive: Hendrik Hilpert, Sr., GK, Syracuse
Week 8 – Oct. 15
Co-Offensive: David Loera, So., M, NC State and Daryl Dike, Fr., F, Virginia
Defensive: Leon Krapf, So., GK, NC State
Week 9 – Oct. 22
Offensive: Kristo Strickler, So., F, Virginia Tech
Defensive: Logan Gdula, Sr., D, Wake Forest