Las Vegas, NV (April 9, 2024) – Las Vegas Lights defenders Shawn Smart and Emrah Klimenta were named to the USL Championship’s Team of the Week, and Head Coach Dennis Sanchez was named Coach of the Week for Week 5 of the 2024 regular season on Tuesday morning. The Lights trio earned their TOTW nods following the side’s 1-0 win against San Antonio FC on Saturday, the club’s third consecutive victory and its first against San Antonio since the 2019 season.
Klimenta and Sanchez join defender Gaoussou Samaké (Week 4) and midfielder Valentin Noël (Week 4) on the list of those who have earned their first TOTW appearances this season. Smart returns to the TOTW for a second consecutive week after notching the game-winning goal against a previously undefeated San Antonio side.
The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 5
GK – Jackson Lee, Rhode Island FC: The Australian recorded the first shutout in Rhode Island FC history with a six-save performance to earn a scoreless draw against the Charleston Battery at Beirne Stadium.
D – Shawn Smart, Las Vegas Lights FC: The 20-year-old right back scored the decisive goal as Las Vegas defeated San Antonio FC for the first time since 2019 while also completing 2 of 2 dribbles and winning 9 of 10 duels overall.
D – Alexis Souahy, FC Tulsa: The Comoros international scored once, completed 42 of 47 passes and won 3 of 4 aerial duels while making two clearances, two interceptions and six recoveries in his side’s 3-3 draw with Phoenix Rising FC.
D – Emrah Klimenta, Las Vegas Lights FC: The former Montenegro center back recorded four interceptions and 10 recoveries while winning 6 of 8 duels as Las Vegas posted its third consecutive shutout – a club first – in its 1-0 win against San Antonio FC.
M – Edwin Laszo, FC Tulsa: The Colombian made a sparkling debut for his new club, scoring once and hitting the crossbar with a long-range effort while taking five shots overall and winning 3 of 4 tackles and 12 of 18 duels overall defensively.
M – Jack Blake, Indy Eleven: The English midfielder scored twice in a losing cause for the Boys in Blue against Louisville City FC and recorded five shots overall while winning 3 of 4 tackles and 7 of 10 duels and making seven recoveries.
M – Justin Portillo, FC Tulsa: The veteran midfielder notched two assists in Tulsa’s 3-3 draw with Phoenix Rising FC on Friday night while also completing 65 of 74 passes overall, notching four chances created and winning 2 of 3 tackles and 3 of 4 duels defensively.
M – Jansen Wilson, Louisville City FC: The local product scored his first professional goal to restore LouCity’s lead late in the first half against Indy Eleven and completed 27 of 33 passes while recording four interceptions and 12 recoveries in midfield.
F – Russell Cicerone, Sacramento Republic FC: The right winger recorded a goal and assist in Sacramento’s 2-0 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC while completing 22 of 26 passes overall and recording three shots and three chances created at Weidner Field.
F – Wilson Harris, Louisville City FC: The current Golden Boot leader continued his remarkable start to the season with his first professional hat trick and also notched an assist in LouCity’s 5-3 victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday afternoon.
F – Ray Serrano, Louisville City FC: The 21-year-old continued his sterling start to the season with a pair of assists against Indy Eleven to move into a tie for the league-lead and had four chances created and two shots overall while winning 5 of 6 ground duels.
Coach – Dennis Sanchez, Las Vegas Lights FC: Sanchez’s side took its third consecutive victory, equaling a club high set in 2022, and recorded its third consecutive shutout – a first in club history – as it dropped San Antonio FC from the ranks of the undefeated with a 1-0 win at Cashman Field.
Bench: Eric Dick (PIT), Triston Hodge (HFD), Lee Desmond (SAC), Adrien Perez (LOU), Marco Micaletto (NM), Remi Cabral (PHX), Deshane Beckford (HFD)
