UCSB’s Drew Murphy
UCSB freshman midfielder Drew Murphy has been voted as the Big West Offensive Player of the Week, it was announced by the conference on Monday afternoon.
Murphy becomes the third Gaucho in as many weeks to pick up a league Player of the Week award, as Peter Schmetz and Josh McNeely picked up defensive honors over the past two weeks.
The Palos Verdes, Calif. native led the No. 20 Gauchos to their sixth consecutive win and a 5-0 start in conference play with a 3-2 victory over UC Davis on Saturday afternoon. The left-footed attacking midfielder picked up his first goal of the season to open the scoring, then assisted on Goffin Boyoko’s game-winning header that gave UCSB its third straight overtime win.
Murphy’s first career goal came on a volley from about 10 yards out after a Reed McKenna cross was deflected to him. In the very last minute of double overtime, Murphy was able to serve a perfect ball off a corner kick to Boyoko at the back post, and the French striker had no problem heading past the Aggies keeper.
The Los Angeles Galaxy Academy product now has points in four of his last five games, totaling seven points over that span. His seven total assists rank first on the team and Big West Conference and 11th in the NCAA.
He is the second Gaucho this season to garner Offensive Player of the Week honors, after Boyoko received the award following the first week of the season.
On Tuesday night, Drew and the rest of the Gauchos will take on the Sacramento State Hornets with a chance to start out 6-0 in league play for the first time in program history and clinch a spot in the Big West Tournament
