Tobias Spiess has been recognized for his pivotal role in helping the UFV Cascades secure a playoff spot on the last weekend of the regular season, earning Canada West men's soccer athlete of the week honours.

The Cascades ended up needing to win both of their games at UBC Okanagan to punch their post-season ticket, and Spiess, a rookie centre back from Nuremberg, Germany, was instrumental as they completed the feat.

On Friday, Spiess and his mates on the UFV backline helped hold the Heat off the scoresheet in a 1-0 Cascades win. On Saturday, he made an impact at the opposite end of the pitch, scoring both UFV goals in a 2-1 victory. Spiess opened the scoring on a header from David Parfett's free kick in the 58th minute, and notched what turned out to be the game-winner on a penalty kick in the 76th.

Those results allowed the Cascades (4-3-5) to leap from fifth to third in the West Division, securing a CW quarter-final playoff date with the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday in Edmonton (2 p.m. Mountain time, CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op).

Spiess is the second Cascades men's soccer player to earn an athlete of the week nod this fall, joining Trevor Zanatta.