Salina Bowe photo: Fernando Martinez leads the team in points with 35 on 12 goals and 11 assists in the season.

With a record of 13-3, the Mercyhurst men’s soccer team has been a power house this season, putting up a tough fight against every team that it has competed against.

Recently, Mercyhurst University men’s soccer team, ranked nationally at No. 14, was ranked second in the first NCAA regional rankings announced last Wednesday afternoon.

It came with the help of junior Fernando Martinez, who was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week.

Martinez has scored a goal in the last three contests to contribute to the Lakers’ success. One of his more notable achievements occurred last weekend against then No. 8 Slippery Rock where he scored a goal and added an assist in the 2-1 win.

“It’s nice to be awarded this again, but I find it more as a team award, we all deserve it,” Martinez said.

“The team is doing great. We are 13-3 but besides the results, the way that we are playing is good and I know we still have room to continue playing better as the season goes on,” Martinez said.

Martinez leads the team with 35 points on 12 goals and 11 assists in the season. He averages 3.53 shots per game in 15 games played and is averaging 2.33 goals per game. The 2.33 goals per game makes him ranked eighth in the country.

The recent win against Urbana in double overtime proved the Lakers’ skill and athleticism. They ended the contest with a 2-1 victory, with goals scored by Martinez and the game winning goal going to freshman Danny Deakin.

“It was a tough game,” Martinez said. “It is hard to break down teams when they come to play us home because they usually stay back and wait. Luckily, we had the first goal then they tied and made it complicated because they laid back and defended again. At the end with Deakin’s goal we deserved to win because we had created more chances, we are happy about it,” Martinez said.

Mercyhurst outshot Urbana for the contest by a 25-6 margin with a 10-2 edge in shots on goal.

When asked about how he supports his team and pushes them forward, Martinez replied, “I just simply remind them to continue pushing themselves to improve each day, to know their role and always stay together as a team.”

The Lakers compete against David and Elkins College on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 3 p.m. in Elkins, West Virginia.