March 21, 2023 – United Soccer League One (USL1) News Release
TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One today announced the Team of the Week for Week 1 of the 2023 regular season with One Knoxville SC midfielder Jimmie Villalobos named Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after becoming the first goalscorer in Knoxville’s professional history.
“It was an unbelievable feeling to be the first goalscorer in One Knox history,” Villalobos said. “I am always grateful to the man upstairs for giving me this opportunity to make history.”
In the first-ever professional match for both sides, One Knoxville SC downed rival Lexington SC by a final tally of 2-1 in front of a raucous crowd of nearly 3,000 in downtown Knoxville on Saturday evening. Defender James Thomas, Knoxville’s captain during its inaugural 2021 USL League Two season, drew a penalty early in the first half of his and OKSC’s first professional match. Villalobos, the former Chattanooga Red Wolves SC man, put away the penalty in the 17th minute to confirm Knoxville’s first professional goal before former Greenville forward Jake Keegan scored the match-winner in the 40th minute.
“We’re not overjoyed with the performance on the ball, but there were positives in our defending, and we didn’t concede in open play,” Knoxville Head Coach Mark McKeever said. “The main objective was three points, so we’re excited for the players, the owners and all the fans that we got off the mark in the first game.
“What was good enough to get points today won’t be good enough in the coming weeks, so we’re getting back to work as soon as possible to continue our growth and keep pushing on.”
Defending champions South Georgia and newcomers Knoxville place a joint-high three players on the Team of the Week following their respective Week 1 victories. All six clubs in action see players placed on the Team of the Week or the Team of the Week Bench.
GK – Akira Fitzgerald, Richmond Kickers: League One’s all-time leader in clean sheets and saves, Fitzgerald recorded another clean sheet in his league-record 100th regular season appearance on Saturday, reeling in a league-high four saves on the week.
D – Clay Dimick, Charlotte Independence: One of the longest-tenured Jacks, Dimick helped the Independence to an opening-day clean sheet with his six duels won, five recoveries and two clearances. Dimick’s 81% passing accuracy was good enough to earn the week’s top passing score from American Soccer Analysis.
D – Daniel Navarro, North Carolina…