QUEENS, N.Y. – After leading St. John’s University to a 3-0 victory over Xavier University Saturday night, two players have been honored by the Big East for the their efforts.

Jack Shearer was named the offensive player of the week, while David Enstrom has been recognized as the conference’s defensive player of the week.

Shearer, who hails from Aliquippa, Pa., became the first freshman this season to win the offensive player of the week award after pacing the Red Storm in its win over the Musketeers at Belson Stadium. The forward opened up scoring in the ninth minute, burying home a rebound off a saved header to give the Johnnies an early advantage.

Less than 16 minutes later, Shearer finished in front once again, capping off a spectacular series of passes from Bjarni Rognvaldsson and Alistair Johnston to put the Red Storm two.

Enstrom, a senior transfer from Buffalo, N.Y. earned his first Big East Weekly Honor after helping limit the high-flying Xavier offense to just three shots on the evening, only one of which was on target. Entering the contest, the Musketeers, who had yet to be shutout on the season, had been averaging 1.88 goals and more than 14 shots per game. Through eight contests, St. John’s has turned in one of the nation’s best defensive efforts, allowing just goals and compiling five clean sheets with a goals-against average of 0.36.

St. John’s travels to Bethlehem, Pa., for its penultimate non-conference matchup of the season against Lehigh University Tuesday.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.