COSTA & O’CONNOR GARNER WEEKLY LITTLE EAST MEN’S SOCCER ACCOLADES

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College freshman forward Bruno Costa (Pawtucket, RI) and classmate goalkeeper Justin O’Connor (North Kingstown, RI) were honored by the Little East Conference for their performance in men’s soccer this past week.

Costa was named the Little East Conference Men’s Soccer Co-Offensive Player of the Week, sharing the honor with Keene State senior Alex Horne. Costa logged two goals and two assists for six points to lead Rhode Island College to a 1-0-1 mark on the week. The Tolman High School product scored a season-high four points against Lasell on Sept. 10, which included scoring the game-winning goal with his first collegiate tally. Later in the week, he netted the game-tying goal in the 86^th minute to force overtime against MIT, the ninth-ranked team in the NSCAA New England region. He has played in six games, notching two goals and three assists for seven points.

Freshman Forward Bruno Costa

O’Connor was named the Little East Conference Men’s Soccer Rookie of the Week. He made seven saves to backstop the Anchormen to a 1-0-1 week and raise RIC’s current unbeaten streak to three. The rookie netminder earned his first collegiate shutout victory with a six-save performance against Lasell on Sept. 10. O’Connor came off the bench to make a save in the final 65 minutes of the match to preserve a 2-2 tie against undefeated MIT on Sept. 13. In 155 minutes of action last week, he made seven saves, allowing just one goal to log a 0.58 GAA and .875 save percentage. For the season, O’Connor is 1-2-1 with 13 saves, a 1.24 goals against average, a .765 save percentage and one shutout in 290 minutes of action.

Freshman Goalkeeper Justin O'Connor

Head Coach John Mello’s team is 2-3-1 and currently riding a three game (2-0-1) unbeaten streak. In upcoming action, RIC will host Coast Guard on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m.

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