#24 Men's Soccer 10/18/2016 10:47:00 AM

Taiar of Stars notches NAIA men's soccer offensive player of week

Junior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, becomes second Star honored by NAIA in 2016-17

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Alexandre Taiar became the first from Oklahoma City University to draw recognition as NAIA men's soccer offensive player of the week.
Taiar, a junior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, is the first Star to garner a national player of the week nod since Joe Shulberg took NAIA defensive player of the week for Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2012.
OCU's Andy Fitzpatrick also picked up NAIA defensive player of the week for Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 2010. Oklahoma City has had three national athlete of the week honorees in 2016-17. Aminat Olowora has collected two NAIA women's cross country runner of the week awards.
On Saturday, Taiar led the Stars to a 3-2 victory over 24th-ranked Southwestern Christian at Stars Field. Taiar scored twice as OCU dealt Southwestern Christian its first league loss of the year.
Taiar's first goal knotted the match 1-1 at 15:02 into the contest. Taiar fired in the winning goal at the 65:01 mark, putting the Stars ahead 3-1.
Juan Ocampo assisted both of Taiar's goals. On the game winner, Ocampo set up Taiar after dribbling into the penalty box on the close left wing. Ocampo knocked the ball to Taiar to his left behind his back. Taiar booted the ball into the net near the far post.
The SAC honored Taiar as its offensive player of the week for Oct. 10-16. The NAIA national players of the week are selected from a pool of conference players of the week. Selection criteria includes statistics/results, team success, records set and level of competition.
The Stars (11-3, 5-1 SAC) meet Texas Wesleyan at 7 p.m. Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. Follow the match on live stats.

2016 NAIA Men's Soccer Composite Award Winners (Defensive, Offensive)
Week 1 (Sept. 7): Hayden Dees, Mobile (Ala.), Alex Durbin, Dordt (Iowa)
Week 2 (Sept. 14): Joe White, Hastings (Neb.), Chance Bourdene, William Carey (Miss.)
Week 3 (Sept. 21): Nikola Kahvedzic, Northwestern Ohio, Pepe Cejudo, Northwestern Ohio
Week 4 (Sept. 28): Garrett Byrd, Oregon Tech, Daniel Whitehall, Hastings (Neb.)
Week 5 (Oct. 5): Nikola Kahvedzic, Northwestern Ohio, Aleksi Pahkasalo, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Week 6 (Oct. 12): Bryan Mcdowell, Cincinnati Christian (Ohio), Mauricio Salgado, Trinity Christian (Ill.)
Week 7 (Oct. 19): Caleb Jenkins, Benedictine (Kan.), Alexandre Taiar, Oklahoma City

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Players Mentioned

#12 Juan Ocampo: MF; 5' 6"; Senior

#3 Alexandre Taiar: MF; 5' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#12 Juan Ocampo
: 5' 6"; Senior
: MF

#3 Alexandre Taiar
: 5' 6"; Junior
: MF

Players Mentioned

#12 Juan Ocampo

#3 Alexandre Taiar

Players Mentioned

#12 Juan Ocampo

#3 Alexandre Taiar