Revolution Player of the Month, June 2013: Kelyn Rowe

The month of June opened up with a bang for the New England Revolution as they capped off a three-match winning streak with a 5-0 drubbing of the LA Galaxy in Foxboro. It was a comprehensive victory that saw great performances from nearly every player on the pitch, and from there things were looking up.

However, the month itself didn't finish too well. In four league matches, they posted a 1-1-2 record, with disappointing draws against D.C. and Chivas, and an anomalous but still-worrisome 4-3 loss in Vancouver. They were also bounced unceremoniously from the U.S. Open Cup by D.C. The Revs still had bright spots in those games, be it the first 20 minutes against the Whitecaps or the performances of certain players in the draws, but overall it wasn't the best month for the New England club. The one player who consistently showed his ability during that month, even in limited minutes, was Kelyn Rowe.

Rowe kicked off the month with an excellent substitute performance against Los Angeles, scoring once and assisting on two more goals in his cameo appearance. He also scored against Vancouver, capping off an excellent team move. Rowe's play has matured, and he's become more and more consistent over the course of 90 minutes, forcing him into a position of an "automatic starter" in Jay Heaps' mind going into July. He's got the team lead in assists with six with no ceiling in sight, and for this reason, he was this month's unanimous pick for The Bent Musket Player of the Month.

Corey: Rowe's dominance in the month of June is surely a sign of great things still to come. The sophomore has shown to be a force of nature in the midfield. He was an Open Cup hero, despite the Revs' end-of-the-month exit at the hands of D.C. United, and put on classy displays of finesse, grit, skill, determination, and swagger every time he stepped foot on the pitch. May might have been Diego's month, but June belongs to Kelyn Rowe. Bravo, kid.

Matty: It's the hunger in his game that has truly turned my head in regards to sophomore sensation Kelyn Rowe. He's fully aware he's lost minutes to the likes of Fagundez and even Toja to an extent and you can see how much it's motivated him when he does take the field. His performances in the US Open Cup are not a mirage: he's got that type of potential. With Agudelo seemingly out for a period of time, July may be the time we really see Rowe break out.

Kelyn's Line: 5 appearances, 2 starts, 2 goals, 2 assists, 278 minutes; 9 points in TBM Player of the Month voting.

Honorable Mention

Juan Agudelo, 5 points: It's incredible just how much of an impact Agudelo had on this team's offensive presence from the minute he signed. Whether he's finding little pockets of space in the box for dirty goals, or streaking down the left flank, drawing defenders and creating opportunities for his teammates, Agudelo has without question made this team more dangerous going forward. - Corey

Scott Caldwell, 3 points: The rookie has beaten out an MLS veteran as well as an English Premier League stud for the starting spot at defensive midfield. At only 5'8" and 150 lbs., Caldwell has been a force in the center of the park. He may not have the physical presence of Cisse, but he's got the soccer smarts that can match up with the very best in this league. He's a metronome in the midfield, passing accurately and purposefully. Simply put, he makes things happen, and it's clear now why the Revs held onto him as a homegrown player and why Jay Heaps was raving about him so much in pre-season. He impresses me more every game and I'm looking forward a very bright future for the Revs with Caldwell in the middle. - Corey

The Player of the Month is compiled by members of The Bent Musket's staff. Each writer selects his top three Revolution players for the month, who are assigned point values - three points for the #1, two for the #2, and one for the #3. Then, points are totaled and the player who received the most points in the voting is named Player of the Month. Honorable mentions go to the next two players in the voting.