Sternberger Named College Soccer News National Player of the Week
Oct 30 | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers men's soccer player Adam Sternberger (Mays Landing, N.J.) was named the College Soccer News National Player of the Week following his two-goal performance in the Scarlet Knights' defeat of No. 8 Notre Dame in the quarterfinal round of the BIG EAST Tournament on Oct. 28. Sternberger was also named to the College Soccer News' National Team of the Week.
Sternberger scored both Scarlet Knight goals, his fourth and fifth of the season, in the win over Notre Dame. Sternberger's first goal came in the 79th minute of play to tie the game at one and the teams eventually headed into overtime, where he then scored the game-winning goal five minutes into the second overtime period to send his team into the semi-final round of the BIG EAST Tournament. RU will face West Virginia on Friday, Nov. 3, at Yurcak Field with a chance to advance to the conference championship on Nov. 5
The team's leading goal-scorer last season with eight, Sternberger had sports hernia surgery following the 2005 season but had just three goals heading into the game against the Fighting Irish. The junior forward worked hard all season to get back to his 2005 form, and seems to have done just with his performance against Notre Dame, as he now leads the team in both goals and points (5 g, 1 a, 11 p).
Rutgers head coach Bob Reasso has seen Sternberger continue to improve all season and felt his forward's two-goal performance against Notre Dame was evidence of that hard work.
"He was our MVP last season but it took a while for him to come back following his surgery," Reasso said. "As the season's gone on he's gotten better and better. He was exceptional on Saturday night (against Notre Dame), and his goals were a testament to what a great player he is."
Sternberger and the rest of the team are back in action on Friday, Nov. 3, against No. 4 West Virginia in a semi-final match up at Rutgers' Yurcak Field at 5:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on CSTV.
