September 23, 2008

DOS SANTOS EARNS SPOT ON SOCCER AMERICA NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Veteran midfielder scores two goals, tallies two assists in two road wins

RICHMOND, Va. – The praise keeps coming for senior midfielder Gerson Dos Santos (Sao Paulo, Brazil) as the veteran of the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s soccer team was named to the Soccer America National Team of the Week.

The recognition comes just one day after Dos Santos was named CAA Player of the Week for his two-goal, two-assist week in which he helped his Black and Gold squad capture two crucial road wins.

The veteran midfielder has now led the Rams to three straight wins, including the wins at Richmond and Coastal Carolina this past week.

In the Black and Gold’s 1-0 victory over the Spiders, Dos Santos lofted an incredible free kick from just along the goal line into the middle of the box where junior Michael Denkewitz (Bremen, Germany) was able to head it into the back of the net for the decisive goal.

Sunday’s 4-0 pounding of Coastal Carolina was the Dos Santos show as he scored the first two goals of the day for the Rams and followed it up by assisting on junior Jake Van Yahres’ (Charlottesville, Va.) goal early in the second half that put the game out of reach.

Dos Santos has now had a hand in six of VCU’s past eight goals dating back to the Rams thrilling 3-1 victory over Virginia on September 13th.

On the season, he leads the squad with 10 points and is tied for the team lead in goals with three and assists with four. Over his three-year career, he has tallied 10 goals and seven assists while donning the Black and Gold.

Dos Santos and the Rams are back in action this Saturday as they open up their 2008 CAA schedule with a trip north to take on the Patriots of George Mason University in a 7 p.m. contest.