PORTLAND, Ore. – Sweeping the Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer weekly awards, Montana State University Billings senior goalkeeper
Tom Lohmann and junior midifielder
Guillaume Kremer were named the Defensive and Offensive Player of the Week, respectively, announced the conference office Monday.
Big performances by two of the team's captains led MSUB to a 2-0 record last weekend, including a dramatic, 2-1 double-overtime victory over No. 12 Upper Iowa University.
"We are very proud of Tom and Guillaume for getting these awards, but more importantly for the performances they put together on the field for us," said MSUB head coach Alex
Balog. "They were instrumental in getting us two wins this past weekend, and their leadership goes a long way. This marks the first time in my coaching tenure that we have won both awards in the same week, and we are proud of that as well."
Fighting off an early-season injury and starting his first game of the season on Thursday against Mary, Lohmann matched a career high with nine saves while facing 17 shots. The senior played a full 90 minutes, recording his first win of the year in MSUB's 4-2 triumph.
Helping the 'Jackets to a narrow victory on Saturday, Lohmann came away with five more saves against UIU in a 104-minute effort. Perhaps his best stop in the match came within the opening five minutes, when he thwarted a breakaway attempt and prevented UIU from taking an early lead.
This is the third career weekly honor for Lohmann, who captured the award Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2014, and again on Sept. 5-11, 2016.
With his 15 saves so far this year, Lohmann has inched closer to the No. 3 spot on MSUB's career saves leaders chart. Through three seasons, Lohmann has racked up 160 stops. "Tom is getting closer and closer to breaking the school record for saves, and if he keeps playing this way he will get there sooner than later," said Balog.
MSUB Men's Soccer Career Saves Leaders
| Rk. |
Name |
Saves |
Seasons |
| 1. |
Matt Mitchell |
196 |
2007-2010 |
| 2. |
Eoin Hurley |
177 |
2011-13 |
| 3. |
Jess Feldtman |
174 |
2003-05 |
| 4. |
Tom Lohmann |
160 |
2014-Present |
| 5. |
Paul Corcoran |
133 |
1998-99 |
| 6. |
Jacob Shepherd |
129 |
2000 |
| 7. |
Sander Tollefson |
113 |
2006-09 |
| 8. |
Gordie Vierck |
97 |
2001-03 |
Kremer highlighted a six-goal performance by MSUB's offense, scoring his first of the year and contributing three assists in the Yellowjackets' two wins. The junior captain helped set the tone with a goal and two assists against Mary, marking his first career game with a score and at least one assist.
After a 90-minute effort against the Marauders, Kremer provided the assist on the game-winning goal by
Luca Battistotti on Saturday against Upper Iowa. On his eighth and final corner-kick service of the match, Kremer got around a perfect ball into the box and kicked off the celebration after Battistotti's header found the target.
Kremer leads the team with five points so far this season, and has placed 50 percent of his team-high 20 shots on target. This is the second weekly award for the honorable mention all-GNAC midfielder, after Kremer was named the Player of the Week for Sept. 19-25, 2016. "Guillaume is playing in a slightly more offensive role this season, and it seems to be suiting him well," Balog said. "He is contributing with goals and assists."
Overall, the Yellowjackets have claimed three weekly awards from the conference this fall, as Lohmann and Kremer join freshman goalkeeper
Javier Hernandez with the honor. Hernandez was pegged GNAC Player of the Week for Aug. 28-Sept. 3, after making 13 saves for the 'Jackets in their 2017 opening weekend.
MSUB (2-4) begins its 2017 conference schedule at home this week, hosting Northwest Nazarene University on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. and Concordia University on Saturday at 3 p.m.
