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MISL Players of the Week for Monday, March 27, 2006

March 27, 2006 - Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2) News Release


GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK

Dominik Jakubek, California Cougars

Dominik Jakubek led a Cougars defense to do what no other MISL team had managed this season when it held Baltimore to less than five goals at its home arena in the Cougars 5-4 victory before 6,823 at 1st Mariner Arena on Friday. Jakubek stopped 19 of 23 shots in his only appearance of the weekend, winning his fifth consecutive start, and accruing an 82.6 save percentage - unmatched by any other MISL goalkeeper this week. Included in Friday's performance was a third quarter in which the Blast unleashed 15 shots on goal, and the Cougars were able to get three key blocks from Antonio Sutton, John Ball, and Vicente Figueroa, and 10 saves from their first-year MISL goalkeeper. The Lodi, Calif., native was pressed into regular action more than a month ago following an injury suffered by starter Jim Larkin on Feb. 24. Since that time, Jakubek's recovered from early-season struggles and maintains a 5-2 overall record in 10 games (seven starts, 402:57 minutes), a 5.66 goals against average and a 71.0 save percentage for the expansion California Cougars (9-19). In winning his last five starts, Jakubek's numbers include a 72.8 save percentage and 4.98 goals against average in 300 minutes. The 26-year-old played collegiate soccer at San Joaquin Delta College, Sonoma State, and had a record-setting year at Chico State. He also trained in Poland prior to joining the Cougars for their inaugural Major Indoor Soccer League season. This is Jakubek's second Goalkeeper of the Week award (Mar. 27, Mar. 6).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Matt Schmidt, Milwaukee Wave

Matt Schmidt again demonstrated his high-caliber skills as both a defensive and an offensive weapon for the Milwaukee Wave this weekend, leading all players at his position with five points (four goals, one assist), including a hat trick in an 8-7 loss at St. Louis' Savvis Center on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon he came back to tie a team season-high with five blocks (previously accomplished by Troy Dusosky and Chad Dombrowski), while adding another goal and assist in another narrow, 7-6, loss to the Steamers before 8,771 fans at U.S. Cellular Arena. The MISL leader in blocks for much of the season added another six this weekend to increase his total to 44, one shy of his career high. In addition, with his four goal weekend Schmidt increased his goal total to 16 eclipsing his previous record-output for goals in a season (12). In fact Schmidt has moved up to fourth on the team in goals, trailing All-MISL forwards Greg Howes and Todd Dusosky, and midfielder Marcelo Fontana. He'll need four assists in his last three regular season games to match his previous career record in that category (11), which he set in the Wave's 2004-05 MISL Championship season. Finally, Schmidt ranks second in the MISL in restart goals with six, trailing only his teammate and the runaway leader in that category, Howes, who has 11. A 26-year-old Milwaukee native, Schmidt is in his fifth season with the Wave. Previously he first attended Yale University where he started on the varsity soccer team for four years. He was the 33rd pick in the 2000 Amateur Draft, and made his Wave debut on Nov. 23, 2001. The former Marquette University High School standout was named a 2006 MISL All-Star, the MISL Defensive Player of the Month in December and now earns the MISL Defensive Player of the Week award for the third time this season (Mar. 27, Mar. 20, Dec. 12).

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Mike Apple, St. Louis Steamers

Mike Apple delivered for the St. Louis Steamers this weekend - plain and simple. Included in his four goals in two wins over the second-place and defending MISL Champion Milwaukee Wave, the powerful forward had two pivotal scores that led to the St. Louis Steamers clinching the 2005-06 Major Indoor Soccer League Regular Season Championship, and the top seed in next month's MISL Championship Series. Apple's key goal on Saturday, which came off a header by Joe Reiniger, and then off of Apple's head from the back post with 13.3 seconds remaining in regulation, sent the crowd of nearly 6,000 into a frenzy and allowed the Steamers to press the back-and-forth battle into overtime. That set the stage for a Steamers goal by Mariano Bollella for the 8-7 win as St. Louis maintained its perfect (12-0) record this season at Savvis Center. Apple scored two goals in that game and equaled his production the next day, scoring two more, and giving him seven goals against the Wave this season. In following up those heroics, the former University of Akron All-American again came through for St. Louis, scoring the game-winner on Sunday, also off the assist from Joe Reiniger at 6:14 of the fourth quarter for a 7-6 lead that would stand before a crowd of 8,771 at Milwaukee's U.S. Cellular Arena, as the Steamers (21-5) formally clinched the MISL regular season crown. With his most productive weekend of the season, Apple improved his season totals to 14 goals, six assists and 20 points in 24 games. He's attempted a mere 36 shots, which ranks 10th on the team, and serves as evidence of his productivity for St. Louis, where he now joins Jamar Beasley, Carlos "Chile" Farias, Shaun David, Genoni Martinez, Reiniger and Bollella, to make the Steamers the only MISL team with seven 20-point scorers. The 28-year-old started his League indoor career with Cleveland, has played several seasons of outdoor professionally, and is in his third season with the Steamers. In 2004-05 he totaled 23 points and 10 assists in playing 23 games for St. Louis and eight for Baltimore following a late-season trade. He was reacquired by the Steamers in the offseason. The award is Apple's first MISL Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season.



Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from March 27, 2006


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