What a week it was in MLS NEXT Pro action.
Ventura County FC continued to dominate at home, earning a commanding 6-1 win vs. North Texas SC to take the Team of the Matchweek honor.
Carolina Core FC's Arnaud Tattevin claimed the Player of the Matchweek award after bagging a 50-minute hat trick against Atlanta United 2.
In the Rising Star department, New England Revolution Academy striker Matthew Jean Baptiste had himself a day, providing two goal contributions in Revs II's 4-1 rout at Red Bull New York II.
Read more about Matchweek 22's winners below:
Ventura County FC are on quite a hot streak, winning their third consecutive game this past weekend by taking down North Texas SC in a 6-1 result to earn Team of Matchweek 22.
Eric Preston (2 goals, 2 assists) and Julian Placias (2 goals, 1 assist) spearheaded the offense to six goals, their highest goal total of the year.
Matt Taylor's side has seen a resurgence since the end of May, winning six of their last eight games to jump to fourth place in the Western Conference.
With Dylan Vanney off to Real Betis, the VCFC offense looks to be in good hands with another wave of young players ready to make the leap.
Luis Müller's return to the squad will also help provide a creative spark in the midfield.
A home playoff is on the horizon if VCFC can continue their run of form.
It’s not often a player scores a hat trick.
It’s even rarer to bag a hat trick, earn Player of the Matchweek honors AND land on SportsCenter’s Top 10 in the same week.
But Carolina Core FC striker Arnaud Tattevin managed to do all three in one week. No big deal, right?
Tattevin’s trio of goals took place against Atlanta United 2, beginning in the 38th minute when he knocked one in to cut Atlanta’s two-goal lead in half.
CCFC would give up another goal before halftime, but Tattevin struck once again before the break.
That second goal was the one that landed him on SportsCenter.
Tattevin received a long leading pass from defender Charles Orbaugh down the left flank. After taking the ball on the bounce, he beat his defender with a "sombrero" maneuver before launching a curler to make it 3-2.
Bodie Ford would connect with Tattevin in the 50th minute to tie the match and eventually send it to a shootout.
The hat trick moved the Foxes’ striker into the top five in the league’s Golden Boot race, and he will be key for CCFC as they look to end the season on a positive note down the stretch.
New England Revolution II academy striker Matthew Jean Baptiste takes home the Rising Star award this week after recording two goal contributions in a 4-1 victory over Red Bull New York II.
Baptiste opened the scoring for Revs II in the 19th minute before delivering a second-half assist to Myles Morgan, who added a banger to his goal total to help seal the match.
Baptiste's goal marked his third of the season for the 16-year-old in less than 450 minutes of action, an impressive tally for one of New England’s rising young talents.
