Oct. 13, 2008
IRVING, Texas — Kentucky forward Tim Crone and goalkeeper Dan Williams have each been named Conference USA Player of the Week, with Crone earning C-USA Offensive Player of the Week and Williams earning C-USA Defensive Player of the Week accolades, the conference office announced Monday.
Williams, a junior and native of Fairfax Station, Va., split the Defensive Player of the Week honors with Tulsa’s goalkeeper, Chris Taylor. Williams had a solid week, including a season high, seven-save performance at No. 14 Tulsa and his conference-leading fifth shutout of the season in an upset win over No. 18 South Carolina.
Williams, a 6-foot-2 physical presence, leads C-USA with a 0.73 goals-against average. In the 2-1 loss at the Golden Hurricane, UK allowed two goals past Williams, one on a penalty kick and the second on an own goals, after a Wildcat defender knocked the ball in the net. Of his nine goals allowed on the season – a conference best – two came from penalty kicks and one came on an own goal. With his 12th shutout of his career, Williams is tied for fourth all-time in the UK career record books.
Three times in his career Williams has been tabbed the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week, once in 2006 following a 1-0 double overtime win over No. 6 South Carolina. Williams, a 2006 third-team C-USA selection, was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week earlier in the 2008 season. Last year, Williams earned Soccer America National Team of the Week honors following his performance in a win over top-ranked SMU.
Crone, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, had a career week, netting two goals in two games – including a game-winner against No. 18 South Carolina. Crone netted his third and fourth goals of the season during the week, second-best on the club. While in a battle with No. 14 Tulsa, Crone nailed his third goal, firing a shot from the right side, about 12 yards out. In the win over South Carolina, Crone notched the game-winner, took a pass from sophomore C.J. Tappel and beat the keeper from about 10 yards out. Crone needed just 45 minutes in the game at Tulsa to notch a goal and 59 minutes in the win over 18th-ranked USC to seal the game with the winner.
Crone, a junior, has earned C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors before in his career, when he netted two goals in UK’s 2-1 upset win over No. 1 SMU in 2007. Crone also earned College Soccer News National Team of the Week and National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Player of the Week accolades following his heroics against the Mustangs.
Kentucky returns to action on Saturday, in Birmingham, Ala., facing UAB at 7 p.m. ET.
