FC Cincinnati's Eric Stevenson wins USL Goal of the Playoffs vote

USL is in full end-of-season awards mode. The 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year nod has been given to FC Cincinnati's Mitch Hildebrandt. Aaron Long of New York Red Bulls II is the 2016 Defender of the Year.

And, by fan vote, FC Cincinnati's Eric Stevenson has won the "Goal of the Playoffs" award, for his strike against Charleston Battery on October 2. The goal attracted 74% of the fan vote, beating out efforts from NYRB II's Derrick Etienne and Swope Park Rangers' Dane Kelly.

It was a fine goal, but the award should perhaps not be taken too seriously. The fan vote was simply the last iteration of USL's season-long Goal of the Month competition, and FC Cincinnati supporters pay unrivaled attention to the exercise of getting their clicks in for their players.

uslsoccer.com

Nonetheless, congrats to Eric Stevenson. The 26-year-old was one of RBNY's two rookies in 2014.

While his fellow 2014 SuperDraft Red Bulls pick (the same draft, incidentally, in which Aaron Long was selected by Portland Timbers), Chris Duvall, has become a first-team regular, Stevenson endured injury problems (a feature of his college career also) that ultimately saw him sit out 2015 completely - after being waived by RBNY.

He returned to the game with FC Cincinnati this season, and would appear to have his pro soccer career back on track.

Congrats, Eric!