After playing through a surgically repaired knee and a tweaked ankle, Luis Silva’s game is rounding into peak form at the right time of the year.
The junior midfielder has scored a quarter of UCSB’s goals in Big West play and tallied points in five of the Gauchos’ last six conference games (five goals, 2 assists). He scored both goals in a 2-0 win over UC Riverside on Saturday and has been honored for his performance.
Silva on Monday was named to the national teams of the week by the online publications College Soccer News and TopDrawerSoccer.com.?
?Silva scored the game-winning goal in the 58th minute with a shot inside the right post. His second goal came in the 72nd minute on an arched shot to the high left corner of the goal.
The Gauchos will be counting on Silva’s contributions as they enter the postseason. On Wednesday they host Cal Poly in a Big West Tournament semifinal match at 7 p.m. Harder Stadium. UCSB is the second seed and Cal Poly No.3
The teams split their regular season meetings. UCSB won 2-1 at Harder Stadium on a late goal by Silva and Cal Poly took the rematch in San Luis Obispo, 2-1, in overtime.
In the other semifinal, No. 4 Cal State Fullerton plays at top-seeded UC Irvine on Wednesday.
The winners meet on Saturday at the home of the higher seeded team for the conference’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
UCSB is seeking its ninth straight NCAA appearance.
