William Birchard Earns Second SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week Honor

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Sophomore defender William Birchard was named the SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team for the second time this season, it was announced by the league office.

In addition to it being the second honor of the year for Birchard, it also marks the fifth time this year that a Stag has earned the SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week honor. Sophomore center back Kevin Proudfoot earned it last week, while junior center back Adam Singer and freshman goalie Jacob Mays have also earned the distinction this season. 

Birchard earned the award this week after his role in helping the Stags to a pair of shutout wins to remain in a tie for first place in the SCIAC. He had a hand in both goals in a 2-0 road win over Cal Lutheran on Wednesday, converting a first-half penalty kick for the eventual game-winner and then assisting on an insurance goal early in the second half from sophomore Daniel Rohde. He also helped the Stags hold Cal Lutheran to only three shot attempts in the entire contest, one of which was on net. 

Birchard then helped the Stags record their 12th shutout of the season in 15 games when they defeated Whittier 1-0 in double-overtime on Saturday, winning it on a goal from junior forward Justin Gadalla with one second left in the second extra session. CMS (13-2) has now allowed only four goals all season, starting the year with eight shutouts in a row, while having a current shutout streak of three in a row since falling 1-0 at La Verne on Oct. 6. 

CMS will be back in action this week for two critical games to determine the SCIAC Championship and home field advantage in the conference tournament. The Stags (10-2 SCIAC) face Redlands (10-2) at home on Wednesday in the final regular season home game of the year in a battle for first place in the league standings. CMS will then close out the year at Occidental (9-3 SCIAC) on Saturday, which handed the Stags one of their two losses (and scored two of the four goals that CMS has allowed all year). A win and a tie in the final two games, in either order, would be enough to clinch the SCIAC title for the Stags, which would be their first since 2013 and their second since 2000.