POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 7, 2016) -- The Vassar College athletics department saw six student-athletes honored on the weekly Liberty League Performers of the Week release, as the Vassar men's soccer team swept the awards after earning its second Liberty League title this past weekend.
Junior
Alex Gonzales was named as the Liberty League Men's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week, while teammate
Tyler Gilmore was honored as the Defensive Performer of the Week and
Mattie Mrlik was the Rookie of the Week. Men's Cross County's
Jared Freedman picked up Men's Cross Country Performer of the week, while Vassar women's swimmer
Julia Cunningham and men's swimmer
Anthony Walker also were honored as Performers of the Week as well.
Gonzales punctuated the Liberty League Tournament, netting the championship-winning penalty kick with three seconds remaining in regulation for No. 20 Vassar to top Skidmore
on Saturday, 3-2. Gonzales stepped up and struck the ball straight down the middle for his seventh goal and third game-winner of the season. With that, the Brewers earned the Liberty League title for the first time since 2011, as they've made it to the postseason five of the past six seasons. Vassar currently holds a 14-3-2 record, the best mark in program history.
Gilmore notched Vassar's first goal in the Liberty League Finals against Skidmore
on Saturday, putting the Brewers in position to claim the title. The Thoroughbreds struck first in the 14th minute, but the Brewers countered right away with a goal of their own 59 seconds later.
Hayden Van Brewer's throw-in deflected off a defender for Gilmore to kick the equalizer straight back into the net. Vassar went on to win 3-2 for the title, the team's first since 2011.
Mrlik notched a first-half hat trick in the semifinals, as Vassar topped RPI
on Tuesday, 3-1. For the game's first goal in the 12th minute,
Hayden Van Brewer passed left into the box for Mrlik, whose header shot skid just underneath the crossbar and into the net. For the second score
10 minutes later,
Jose Novas played a ball through traffic ahead to Mrlik, who rocketed a shot into the back, left side of the net from the far corner of the goalie box. And to cap the hat trick in the 36th minute, Vassar keeper
Adam Warner's punt was misplayed by RPI's center back, allowing Mrlik to gain possession, beat the keeper and fire straight back into the net from about 10 yards out.
Freedman led the Brewers across the finish line
on Saturday at the ECAC Championships, as he earned 24th overall place with a time of 28:41.9.
Cunningham had a banner week for the Brewers, helping Vassar to a defeat of Skidmore College
on Saturday. Cunningham had a hand in four wins for VC, as she started the day with a win int he 200 medley relay, swimming the breast relay with a split of 31.91. She then set a "B" cut time for NCAA qualifying with a 2:07.11 in the 200 fly, earning a win by over 22 seconds in the event. She also won the 200 breaststroke with a 2:29.12, over 11 seconds better than the next competitor, while chalking up a 2:13.59 to take the 200 yard IM by 15 seconds.
Walker had a hand in four wins for the Brewers, helping VC to a league win over Skidmore College this weekend. Walker started the day with a victory in the 200 free with a 1:49.10, while also taking the 200 fly with a 2:02.48. Walker was back in the pool to earn a win in the 100 free with a 49.65, and finished the day by helping the Brewers to a 400 yard freestyle relay win, as he swam a race-best 49.16 100 split.
--VASSAR--
