Laredo Heat SC forward Nadav Datner is a nominee for the second straight month for the National Premier Soccer League Team of the Month for June.

June was a dominant month for the Heat (6-1-2, 20 points) as they went 5-0-1 while outscoring opponents 16-6. Datner was crucial to the effort as he scored four of his team-leading seven goals during that stretch while adding three assists.

Datner started the month with a brace as the Heat handed the league-leading Denton Diablos FC (7-1-1, 22 points) its only loss of the season winning 3-2 on June 3 at the TAMIU Soccer Complex. He scored the team’s first two goals off corner kicks from captain Erwin Regules. He followed that up by assisting on the lone goal in a 1-1 draw at the Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (5-1-3, 18 points) on June 17.

Two days later, Datner recorded another goal in Laredo’s 3-1 road victory over the Fort Worth Vaqueros FC (0-8-1, 1 point). He added another goal and assist as the Heat rolled 4-0 at home in the first of back-to-back matches against the FC Brownsville Explorers (2-5-2, 8 points) on June 23. Datner rounded out his stat sheet for the month with an assist on the road against the Explorers in a 4-2 win on June 26, and he helped the Heat post their second clean sheet of the month and third of the season in a 1-0 victory June 30 over Katy 1895 FC (3-4-2, 11 points) to close out the month.

Datner is one of 11 forwards vying for three spots in the monthly honor which will also recognize four midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper. The final honorees are decided by fan vote which runs through Wednesday evening and is available at npsl.com/totm.

Datner and the Heat close out the regular season at home Friday with an 8 p.m. match against the Coyotes FC (4-5-0, 12 points) at the TAMIU Soccer Complex. A win would guarantee Laredo at least the No. 2 seed and the right to host its playoff opener. If the Heat win and Denton loses or draws on Saturday at Midland, then they would claim the No. 1 seed and the right to host throughout the Lone Star Conference playoffs.

Tickets for Friday’s match are $5 for general admission and $20 for VIP and are available now through laredoheatsc.com. Children 12 and under get in free if they wear red, and fans are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks since concessions are not available due to COVID-19 protocols.