TAMPA, Fla. – Charlotte Independence forward Jorge Herrera has been voted the USL Player of the Week for Week 16 of the 2017 season. Herrera notched two goals in Charlotte’s 3-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds last Tuesday, and then a hat trick against Saint Louis FC on Saturday as the Independence set a club record with a fifth consecutive victory.
Herrera received 65 percent of the poll conducted by a national panel of independent media representing every USL market. Real Monarchs SLC forward Chandler Hoffman and Reno 1868 FC midfielder Chris Wehan finished tied for second on 13 percent.
USL Team of the Week
GK – Mark Pais, Toronto FC II: Pais notched a six-save shutout, including a big denial of Ottawa Fury FC’s Tucker Hume in stoppage time that preserved a 1-0 victory for TFC II against its Ontario rival.
D – Jordan Murrell, Reno 1868 FC: Murrell scored twice as 1868 FC set a USL goal-scoring record with its 9-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II last Monday night at Greater Nevada Field.
D – Joe Farrell, Rochester Rhinos: Farrell completed 69-of-72 passes and recorded the assist on Jochen Graf’s late game-winner as the Rhinos downed the Harrisburg City Islanders 1-0.
D – Colton Storm, Swope Park Rangers: Storm recorded his first professional goal and put in a strong overall performance down the right side in the Rangers’ 4-0 win against Rio Grande Valley FC.
M – Juan Pablo Caffa, Tulsa Roughnecks FC: Caffa scored from the penalty spot, and was the main catalyst for the Roughnecks’ 2-1 comeback victory against OKC Energy FC in the Black Gold Derby.
M – Alex Morrell, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Morrell recorded the opening assist, and played a key role in the Rowdies’ second to cap a dynamic performance in a 2-0 win against FC Cincinnati.
M – Adrian Vera, LA Galaxy II: Vera had two goals in five minutes to put the Galaxy II ahead of the Portland Timbers 2 on Sunday as the side won a 4-3 thriller at Providence Park.
M – Chris Wehan, Reno 1868 FC: Wehan had two goals and two assists as 1868 FC set a USL single-game goal-scoring record in a 9-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II last Saturday at Greater Nevada Field.
F – Lebo Moloto, Swope Park Rangers: Moloto had a goal and two assists as the Rangers took a 4-0 victory against Rio Grande Valley FC on Saturday night.
F – Chandler Hoffman, Real Monarchs SLC: Hoffman had three goals and two assists in a pair of Monarchs victories that moved Real eight points clear at the top of the Western Conference.
F – Jorge Herrera, Charlotte Independence: Herrera scored five goals in two Independence victories against Pittsburgh and Saint Louis as the team’s winning streak reached five games.
Bench: Tomas Gomez (ROC), Luca Uccello (TOR), Sebastian Saucedo (SLC), Kevin Oliveira (SPR), Jeremy Ebobisse (POR), Ilija Ilic (LOU), Didier Drogba (PHX)
