Photo by: Justin Kreutzian
Arilla, Gillingham and Ramadan Claim BIG EAST Weekly Honors
9/25/2023 2:02:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Omaha, Neb. -- The trio of freshman Miguel Arilla, sophomore Blake Gillingham and junior Omar Ramadan earned weekly accolades from the BIG EAST on Monday, September 25. Arilla earned Creighton's third consecutive Freshman of the Week, while Gillingham earned the BIG EAST's Goalkeeper of the Week nod. Ramadan collected a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll.
Arilla delivered the game-winning goal for the Bluejays in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. It was his second goal of the season, yet his first game-winner. Arilla put the Bluejays up 2-0 in the 62nd minute of play, fielding a pass at the corner of the box from Omar Ramadan and beating a trio of DePaul defenders to fire his shot just inside the near post.Â
Starting his second and third matches in goal, Gillingham limited Tulsa and DePaul to just one combined goal over 180 minutes to lead the Bluejays to a 1-0-1 week. Blake made five saves in the BIG EAST victory over the Blue Demons and four more in the 0-0 draw at Tulsa. Gillingham faced 14 shots in each contest.
Ramadan collected his first goal and first assist as a Bluejay in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. Playing against his former team, Ramadan put the Bluejays ahead 1-0 with a goal from inside the box in the 20th minute. Ramadan added an assist later in the match, closing the contest with a career-high six shots.
Arilla, Gillingham, Ramadan and the rest of the Bluejay squad return to action on Friday, September 29 in a home match versus Xavier with start time of 7:30 p.m.
The rest of the BIG EAST's weekly awards are below.
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Jacob Murrell, Georgetown, So., F (Forest Hill, Md.)
Murrell led the Georgetown offensive attack to a pair of victories, including a 2-0 win over then-ninth-ranked James Madison, before topping Xavier on Saturday, 3-1. Overall, the sophomore forward tied for the BIG EAST lead with five points last week, tallying a goal in the win over The Dukes, before registering a goal and an assist against the Musketeers. In 2023, Murrell leads the BIG EAST with 2.00 points per game, notching six goals and two assists in seven games. Murrell has scored a goal in each of the last three outings, as the Hoyas now rank 16th in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll and are 4-0-1 in their last five outings.
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BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Will Jackson, Akron, RSr., D (Hudson Ohio)
Jackson led the defensive efforts for the Zips for the week limiting opponents to just 3.5 shots per game in a pair of contests, including only one shot on goal. Akron recorded a shutout over No. 15 Notre Dame on Tuesday holding the Fighting Irish, who came into the game averaging 13.7 shots per game, to zero shots on goal as part of three overall shots (all in the second half), while outshooting Notre Dame, 23-3. Jackson and the Zips followed that effort up outshooting St. John's 19-4, while holding the Red Storm to only one shot on goal. The Red Storm averaged 15.5 shots and 5.1 shots on goal per contest. Offensively, Jackson posted five shots, including two on goal, for the Zips on the week. On the season, Jackson and the Zips are holding opponents to 7.0 shots per outing, including 2.9 shots on goal, en route to securing five shutouts, while he owns a goal and an assist on the strength of 20 shots, with six coming on net.
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BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Kieran Sargeant, Georgetown, Jr., D (League City, Texas)
Sargeant led the Hoyas to a shutout win over then-No. 9 James Madison in a mid-week non-conference tilt, before leading Georgetown past Xavier 3-1 on Saturday. In the conference win over the Musketeers, the junior defender dished out an assist.
James Boote, Seton Hall, Grad., M (Southampton, England)
Boote posted four points in Saturday's 4-2 win over UConn, scoring a goal and adding two assists as part of the win. Overall, Boote played all 90 minutes in the midfield for the Pirates.
Rikard Cederberg, Seton Hall, Jr., D (Gothenburg, Sweden)
Cederberg scored a pair of goals as part of Saturday's 4-2 win over UConn. Both goals were the first of Cederberg's career.Â
Balthi Saunders, Villanova, Jr., F (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Saunders scored the game-winning goal at 87:03 in a 4-3 win Saturday night at Providence. Saunders also had an assist in the conference win. Overall, he tied for the league high with five points in a pair of games last week, also notching a goal in a 2-2 draw with Western Michigan.
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Arilla delivered the game-winning goal for the Bluejays in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. It was his second goal of the season, yet his first game-winner. Arilla put the Bluejays up 2-0 in the 62nd minute of play, fielding a pass at the corner of the box from Omar Ramadan and beating a trio of DePaul defenders to fire his shot just inside the near post.Â
Starting his second and third matches in goal, Gillingham limited Tulsa and DePaul to just one combined goal over 180 minutes to lead the Bluejays to a 1-0-1 week. Blake made five saves in the BIG EAST victory over the Blue Demons and four more in the 0-0 draw at Tulsa. Gillingham faced 14 shots in each contest.
Ramadan collected his first goal and first assist as a Bluejay in Creighton's 2-1 win over DePaul on Saturday, September 23. Playing against his former team, Ramadan put the Bluejays ahead 1-0 with a goal from inside the box in the 20th minute. Ramadan added an assist later in the match, closing the contest with a career-high six shots.
Arilla, Gillingham, Ramadan and the rest of the Bluejay squad return to action on Friday, September 29 in a home match versus Xavier with start time of 7:30 p.m.
The rest of the BIG EAST's weekly awards are below.
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Jacob Murrell, Georgetown, So., F (Forest Hill, Md.)
Murrell led the Georgetown offensive attack to a pair of victories, including a 2-0 win over then-ninth-ranked James Madison, before topping Xavier on Saturday, 3-1. Overall, the sophomore forward tied for the BIG EAST lead with five points last week, tallying a goal in the win over The Dukes, before registering a goal and an assist against the Musketeers. In 2023, Murrell leads the BIG EAST with 2.00 points per game, notching six goals and two assists in seven games. Murrell has scored a goal in each of the last three outings, as the Hoyas now rank 16th in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll and are 4-0-1 in their last five outings.
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BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Will Jackson, Akron, RSr., D (Hudson Ohio)
Jackson led the defensive efforts for the Zips for the week limiting opponents to just 3.5 shots per game in a pair of contests, including only one shot on goal. Akron recorded a shutout over No. 15 Notre Dame on Tuesday holding the Fighting Irish, who came into the game averaging 13.7 shots per game, to zero shots on goal as part of three overall shots (all in the second half), while outshooting Notre Dame, 23-3. Jackson and the Zips followed that effort up outshooting St. John's 19-4, while holding the Red Storm to only one shot on goal. The Red Storm averaged 15.5 shots and 5.1 shots on goal per contest. Offensively, Jackson posted five shots, including two on goal, for the Zips on the week. On the season, Jackson and the Zips are holding opponents to 7.0 shots per outing, including 2.9 shots on goal, en route to securing five shutouts, while he owns a goal and an assist on the strength of 20 shots, with six coming on net.
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BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Kieran Sargeant, Georgetown, Jr., D (League City, Texas)
Sargeant led the Hoyas to a shutout win over then-No. 9 James Madison in a mid-week non-conference tilt, before leading Georgetown past Xavier 3-1 on Saturday. In the conference win over the Musketeers, the junior defender dished out an assist.
James Boote, Seton Hall, Grad., M (Southampton, England)
Boote posted four points in Saturday's 4-2 win over UConn, scoring a goal and adding two assists as part of the win. Overall, Boote played all 90 minutes in the midfield for the Pirates.
Rikard Cederberg, Seton Hall, Jr., D (Gothenburg, Sweden)
Cederberg scored a pair of goals as part of Saturday's 4-2 win over UConn. Both goals were the first of Cederberg's career.Â
Balthi Saunders, Villanova, Jr., F (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Saunders scored the game-winning goal at 87:03 in a 4-3 win Saturday night at Providence. Saunders also had an assist in the conference win. Overall, he tied for the league high with five points in a pair of games last week, also notching a goal in a 2-2 draw with Western Michigan.
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Players Mentioned
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