Senior midfielder Luis Silva has garnered multiple local and national honors for his standout performance last week. The Los Angeles, Calif. native was named Top Drawer Soccer’s Player of the Week, the Big West Offensive Player of the Week and was placed on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.
Silva had a part in six of the Gauchos’ seven goals last week and his offensive contributions helped UCSB snap a two-game skid and break into the top-four in the Big West Conference standings heading into the final week of regular season play.
The midfielder opened the week with a goal and an assist in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over then-league leader UC Davis.
He topped that showing by tallying two goals and two assists in the 4-3 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. He scored in the third minute, assisted Josue Madueno’s goal in the 22nd minute, scored in the 50th minute and then assisted Fifi Baiden’s game-winner in the 78th minute to have a part in every one of the Gauchos’ goals against the Titans.
This marks Silva’s first National Player of the Week honor from Top Drawer Soccer, his third Big West Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season and his third time being named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week.
With conference tournament implications on the line, No. 16 UCSB (11-5-1, 4-4) will travel to Cal State Northridge tomorrow, Nov. 1 to face the Matadors in a 7 p.m. match. On Friday, the Gauchos will wrap up their regular season in a huge fashion as they host Central Coast rival Cal Poly in a FOX Soccer Channel contest.
In addition hosting a televised game, UCSB will also be honoring its senior class prior to the start of the game and celebrating the fifth anniversary of its 2006 National Championship at halftime. Several members of the 2006 team will be in attendance including Major League Soccer players Chris Pontius, Andy Iro and Eric Avila.
