Alvarez named 'Player of the Week'

PORTLAND, Ore. -
Portland Timbers' forward Byron Alvarez was named the A-League's Player of the Week for Week 12, it was announced Tuesday. Alvarez got the nod in recognition of his three-goal performance in last Thursday's 3-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps at PGE Park.




In a substitution role, Alvarez entered Thursday's match in the 58th minute with the score deadlocked at 0-0. By the time the match ended, Alvarez had scored three goals in a 20-minute span, helping the Timbers along to the 3-0 win and sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division.




It was the first time a Timbers player was named Player of the Week since McKinley Tennyson was honored for Week 18 of the 2002 season, following a four-goal outing in a 6-1 win over El Paso. It was the last time a Timbers player scored a hat trick.




Tennyson and goalkeeper Josh Saunders are the only other Timbers to have been named to the Team of the Week this season. Saunders got the nod last week for two shutout performances vs. Calgary and Tennyson was honored in Week 5 for scoring two goals and dishing two assists in two wins over Calgary on May 12 and 14.