Quinnipiac Sweeps NEC Honors

Velaj, Brito Named Players of the Week

October 7, 2008

HAMDEN, Conn. – Quinnipiac swept the Northeast Conference awards this week as freshman Furtuna Velaj was named the women’s soccer Player of the Week and senior midfielder Graciano Brito was named the Player of the Week on the men’s side.

This is the third consecutive week that Velaj has been recognized by the conference, as she earned rookie of the week honors for the past two weeks.

Furtuna Velaj (11) was named the NEC women's Player of the Week. (Linda Wooster/Quinnipiac Athletics)

In the Bobcats’ first conference match-up on Friday, Oct. 3, against Robert Morris, Velaj scored three goals after the 80th minute to propel the Quinnipiac women’s soccer team to an improbable come-from-behind, 4-3 victory in double overtime. Velaj scored her first goal of the game with less than 10 minutes to play, and followed with the equalizer just over two minutes later. Velaj registered the golden goal in the 107th minute from atop the 18-yard box.

Velaj currently leads the team and the NEC in goals (12), points (24) and game-winning goals (5). Velaj also ranked second in the nation in points per game (3.00) and first in goals per game (1.500).

Brito, meanwhile, scored four goals in two games this week against Holy Cross and Loyola (Md.) on Tuesday and Saturday.

Against Holy Cross, Brito scored the Bobcats’ two goals in the 76th and 81st minutes as Quinnipiac came from behind to win, 2-1. His first goal tied the game, before his second put the Bobcats on top five minutes later. Brito split two defenders and slipped the ball under the Crusaders’ goalkeeper for the game winner.

Quinnipiac fell behind 4-1 against Loyola, but it was Brito’s two goals that sparked the comeback. He scored the Bobcats’ first goal in the first half and then brought them to within one, 4-3, in the 79th minute of play. He now leads the NEC with nine goals and 18 points this season. His second goal at Loyola was also the 31st of his career, moving him into a tie for second all-time in the program’s history with Victor Santos and Everson Maciel.

The Quinnipiac men return to action this weekend at Long Island on Friday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. The women play Friday, Oct. 10 at 3 p.m., against defending NEC conference champion Monmouth at home.

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