United Soccer Leagues announced the USL First Division and USL Second Division Team of the Week honors Tuesday for Week 2 of the season, honoring Minnesota’s Nicolas Platter and Crystal Palace Baltimore’s Gary Brooks as the Players of the Week, respectively.

In the 25th minute, the Thunder secured the first and only goal of the game. Nic Platter punted a ball to Alen Marcina who collected it and ran. He sprinted down the right flank and hit a ball to the far side past Rhino goalkeeper Scott Vallow. Marcina’s goal came early in the game, giving the Thunder confidence to finish the match.

Just seconds after, Platter fouled Hamed Diallo in the box, earning the Rhinos a penalty kick. Diallo took the kick but Platter made up for the initial foul. Platter dove to his left, saving what could have been a Rhino goal, and kept the Thunder up 1-0.

Platter is in his fourth year for the Thunder, seeing significant time in goal for the first time last year. He played in 18 games with four shutouts, a goals against average of 1.17 and a record of 3-7-8. Three games into this season, he has allowed just two goals.

Hours after their parent side locked up a spot in the Championship’s EPL promotion playoffs, Crystal Palace Baltimore blanked 2007 regular season champion Richmond 2-0 with striker Gary Brooks tallying a goal and an assist.

In the 19th minute, Palace right-back Andrew Marshall sent a long cross to an open Gary Brooks eight yards in front. Brooks made no mistake, beating Ronnie Pascale with a well-placed header into the top left corner of the net.

Richmond were starting to look tired as the second half continued and it came as no surprise when Palace doubled their lead on 65 minutes. Marshall’s long throw was headed on by Brooks to Val Teixeira waiting at the far post. Teixeira calmly slotted the ball home from three yards out.

A former USL-1 veteran, Brooks is currently second in the league in scoring with five points in two games. Brooks burst onto the scene as a midseason signing with the club last year, recording seven goals and two assists in nine games as the club finished the campaign with six wins in their last seven games.

USL First Division Team of the Week
G Nicolas Platter Minnesota - Assist, PK save in 1-0 win over Rochester
D Kevin Nylen Charleston - Assist in 2-0 win over Rochester
D Kevin Taylor Minnesota - Led team in 1-0 win over Rochester
D Taylor Graham Seattle - Led team in 2-0 win at Atlanta
D Gabriel Gervais Montreal - Led team in 1-0 win at Puerto Rico
M Osvaldo Alonso Charleston - Assist in 2-0 win over Rochester
M Leighton O’Brien Seattle - Goal in 2-0 win at Atlanta
M Joey Gjertsen Montreal - Goal in 1-0 win at Puerto Rico
F Randi Patterson Charleston - Goal in 2-0 win over Rochester
F Dan Antoniuk Carolina - Goal in 1-0 win at Miami
F Alen Marcina Minnesota - Goal in 1-0 win over Rochester