Gamez-Noriega Selected USC Aiken Athletic Department Student-Athlete of the Week

AIKEN, S.C. - University of South Carolina Aiken men's soccer player Fernando Gamez-Noriega was selected as the USC Aiken Athletic Department Student-Athlete of the Week on Monday, Sept. 14.

Gamez-Noriega (Sinaloa, Mexico/Colleton County) scored in the 84th-minute to lead USC Aiken to its first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Peach Belt Conference rival North Georgia last Saturday evening at "Pacer Pit."

The game tied 0-0 in the latter minutes of regulation, reigning Peach Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week Troy Watson (Kingston, Jamaica/Montreat) just missed out on a cross and had to go to the left corner to obtain the ball. Watson corralled the ball and then made a couple moves before eventually blowing by his defender towards the end line.

Watson alone on the end line, Gamez-Noriega moved himself into prime position in the middle of the box. Watson's great vision saw Gamez-Noriega and he left the ball for him to calmly blast into the lower right corner of the net past North Georgia goalkeeper Sean Durkan.

The goal was Gamez-Noriega's team-leading second of the 2009 season. Watson collected his fourth assist of the year on the goal. Both players are tied for the team lead in total points with four.

The USC Aiken Student Athlete of the Week award is a newly created award. Each week the USC Aiken athletic department is going to honor one individual from an in-season sport for their hard work and effort.

Check www.PacerSports.com throughout the course of the 2009-10 athletic year to learn more about USC Aiken's Student-Athlete of the Week award.