Nick DePuy, UCSB soccer
A pair of sophomores on the UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team were honored on Monday following a pair of home wins this past weekend, as forward Nick DePuy was named the College Soccer News National Player of the Week and Big West Offensive Player of the Week while left back Drew Murphy picked up Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Both were central figures in a pair of UCSB wins last week, as DePuy scored a pair of game-winning goals and added an assist while Murphy recorded two assists.
Murphy set up both goals in a 2-1 Gaucho victory over CSUN last Thursday, taking a corner kick that was eventually headed in by junior midfielder Duncan Backus and finding DePuy with a second-half cross that got redirected past Matadors keeper Adam Hobbs.
DePuy also scored a highlight-reel, 35-yard, left-footed curler into the corner of the net in the last minute of regulation to break a scoreless tie and claim a 1-0 win over No. 3 UC Irvine on Saturday night.
The Irvine, Calif. native has recorded three goals and an assist while the team has won all four games since he moved up top against San Diego State on Sep. 26.
Murphy also played a key role on the defensive side of the ball, helping the Gauchos limit a pair of potent offenses to just one goal total.
It was the third career and second consecutive conference player of the week award for the Palos Verdes, Calif. native, as he was honored by College Sports Madness last Monday and the Big West Conference on Oct. 21, 2013. This is the first Player of the Week award in DePuy’s career.
So far this season, DePuy leads the team and is sixth in the conference with four goals, while Murphy is in a familiar position at the top of the Big West leaderboard for assists with five.
The Gauchos look to build on their 12-game unbeaten streak in conference play this week as they travel to Cal State Fullerton on Thursday and UC Riverside on Saturday.
