Callum Irving Named National Player of the Week

 

By Jacob Most
Sept. 23, 2014

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky men’s soccer goalie Callum Irving has been named Disney Soccer/ National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Player of the Week on Tuesday after he stretched his streak without being scored upon to 414 minutes.
   
The UK captain also repeated as Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, and earned the goalkeeper spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week for the second-straight week as well.

Irving kept two clean sheets in two overtime matches last week, which also extended his streak of shutouts to four-straight with his two this past week.

He turned in a career-high seven save performance in a 0-0 draw with No. 19 Furman on Friday with a career-high equaling seventh save in the 110th minute vs. Furman. Faced with a Furman breakaway in the closing seconds of the second overtime, Irving made a game-saving stop at a chest-high strike to keep the clean sheet.

His shutout against Furman was the fifth of the season for Irving, and the 12th of his career, which tied him with Greg Raber for the fifth-most in program history.

Irving’s career goals-against-average of 0.96 per game ranks third in program history. He is allowing 0.28 goals per game this season, which is sixth best in the nation.

He has saved over 90 percent of the shots he has faced this year, a 0.926 clip, which also ranks sixth-best in the country.

The Wildcats have allowed two goals in seven matches this year.

Irving will next take the field tonight when UK hosts No. 9 Louisville at 7 p.m. ET.