Oct. 31, 2005

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina men’s soccer player Josh Alcala was selected Conference USA’s Offensive Player of the Week the league office Monday. Alcala becomes the third Gamecock player to win a conference weekly award this season.

Alcala led South Carolina a 3-0 victory over No. 9 SMU on Sunday, handing the Mustangs their first conference loss of the season and snapping their nine-match undefeated streak. The senior from Buda, Texas, scored the third and final goal in the victory on Senior Day. He also registered a goal and an assist in a 4-1 conference win against Tulsa on Friday.

Alcala leads the Gamecocks with 17 points this season (five goals, seven assists). South Carolina is 8-1-1 in its last 10 games and Alcala has scored all 17 of his points during that stretch. Alcala also leads the Gamecocks in scoring in conference games with 13 points (four goals, five assists).

Alcala joins fellow senior defender Greg Reece and junior defender Ryan Leeton in earning Conference USA weekly honors this season. Reece (Sept. 26) and Leeton (Oct. 10) were both selected Defensive Player of the Week.

South Carolina is on the road this coming weekend to make up a pair of postponed matches at Florida International and UCF. They play at FIU on Friday, Nov. 4, and at UCF on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1p.m. to wrap up its regular season slate.

The Gamecocks have also secured a spot in the Conference USA Tournament, which will be played Nov. 9, 11 and 13 in Dallas, Texas, on the SMU campus.