KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After leading his team to a 4-2 upset of then-No. 3 Rockhurst alongside a historic hat trick, junior defender Sergio Villalba has been named this week’s MIAA Men’s Soccer Co-Athlete of the Week. The award was announced Tuesday (Sept. 4) by the conference office in Kansas City. This is Villalba’s first honor with the award.

Prior to the Rockhurst match, Villalba helped his Tigers start out the season on the winning foot with their 2-1 win over McKendree. Villalba provided the assist on the game-winning goal by Santiago Agudelo to seal the win.

Villalba’s highlights came during the Rockhurst win as he recorded the sixth hat trick in Fort Hays State men’s soccer history. Two of his three goals came from free kicks from outside the top of the box about 25-yards out. His first goal gave the Tigers a lead in the 24th minute. His next goal pushed the Tigers ahead 2-1 off an assist from Santiago in the box that snuck inside the right post to give the Tigers a halftime lead. In the 77th minute, Villalba completed his hat trick on a free kick, which proved to be the game-winning goal to pull off the upset at Rockhurst.

Villalba and the rest of the Tigers will see another tough test on Thursday (Sept. 6) as they travel to newly named No. 2 Midwestern State in Shawnee, Okla. Fort Hays State will be back at home on Sunday (Sept. 9) at 1 p.m. for a tilt against Metro State.