By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — It was a week to remember for Saint Mary's University's Eli Szymanski (La Crosse, Wis.).
 
Szymanski scored four goals and added an assist in leading the Cardinal men's soccer team to back-to-back wins over Martin Luther and Hamline last week.
 
And the Cardinal sophomore's efforts did not go unnoticed, as the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference named Szymanski the men's soccer Athlete of the Week for the second time this season.
 
Szymanski kicked off his four-goal, nine-point week with one of Saint Mary's seven goals in last Wednesday's 7-0, opening the scoring with a penalty kick goal in the 27th minute, before assisting on one of the Cardinals' six second-half tallies.
 
But the sophomore was just getting warmed up.
 
Three days later, Szymanski was at it again, this time scoring three times in fueling the Cardinals' 4-1 MIAC victory over Hamline — and keeping Saint Mary's MIAC post-season hopes alive.
 
Szymanski scored the first of his three goals late in the first half, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 advantage, and added a pair of second-half tallies two minutes apart late in the second half to seal the victory.
 
The three-goal effort was a collegiate first for Szymanski, who has now posted multiple-goal games twice this season, having netted two goals against Simpson on Sept. 25.
 
With his four-goal week, Szymanski moved into a tie for the team lead in goals with a single-season career high 10 heading into the final two games of the regular season.
 
Szymanski and the Cardinals — deadlocked with Saint John's for the sixth and final conference post-season berth — kick off the final week of the regulation season on the road on Tuesday, heading to St. Paul, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. showdown against Macalester, before returning home to Ochrymowycz Field to face regular-season champion St. Thomas on Saturday at 1 p.m.