Grant Donaldson - Men's Soccer

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Freshman Grant Donaldson recently moved back into the starting lineup on the CMS men's soccer defensive unit after missing a month with an injury, switching from center back to outside back, and has helped keep the defensive unit rolling with two more shutouts this week in pivotal road wins over Cal Lutheran and Whittier. 

The two shutouts were the 11th and 12th for the Stags this season, one shy of the school record shared by the 1984 and 1985 teams. Donaldson helped CMS to its first three shutouts of the year as a starting center back, but then came out of the lineup following a win over La Verne on Sept. 5 due to injury. He returned off the bench on Oct. 3 against Caltech, and moved back into the starting lineup last week against Pomona-Pitzer, taking over at right back for sophomore Nate Joseph (injured), and has been a part of three more shutouts in the three games since, giving him six shutouts in six starts. 

Last week's two shutouts kept CMS in a tie for first place in the SCIAC with Redlands at 10-2, and the two teams will meet for a huge game on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Pritzlaff Field in a battle for first place in the league standings. The game likely won't determine the league champion, as Occidental is one game behind at 9-3 and meets the Stags on Saturday, and the Tigers could still play their way into the picture with a win over Caltech on Wednesday, but the Stags could at least clinch home field advantage in the semifinals and at least a share of the league title with a win.