Nov. 12, 2007

PHILADELPHIA - After achieving a soccer rarity on Sunday, graduate student Gary Long has been named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week in men's soccer.

After 29 games in a UD uniform without a goal, Long converted not one but two penalty kicks to lift the Dayton Flyers to a 6-1 victory on Sunday over the Duquesne Dukes and secure the No. 6 seed in the upcoming 2007 Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Championship.

Long picked up both of the goals in the first half of Sunday's game converting back-to-back penalty kicks with the second one as the eventual game-winner.

On the 2007 season, Long has two goals and four points in 14 games played. With the two goals on Sunday, Long doubled his career point total. The veteran midfielder in 30 career games with the Flyers has two goals and two assists for six points.

Long is the second Player of the Week recipient this season for the Flyers and third member to earn an A-10 weekly award. Two weeks ago sophomore Jeff Popella earned the honor. Prior to that, freshman Josh Albers tallied Rookie of the Week honors.

The Flyers finished the regular season 10-4-4 overall and 4-3-2 in the Atlantic 10. The Flyers, will host the Massachusetts Minutemen on Thursday, Nov. 15 beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Earlier this season UD fell to UMass 3-0 on the road.

Dayton enters the tournament unbeaten in its last five games at 3-0-2 and went 7-0-2 at Baujan Field this season.