Senior forward Chris Pontius was named the Big West’s Player of the Week on Monday after scoring two goals, including the game-winner over Cal Poly, in a pair of UCSB men’s soccer victories last week.
Pontius had a goal and an assist in the 5-1 victory over UC Riverside and put in the game-winner in the second overtime in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Cal Poly. Pontius has now recorded 11 goals this season, the same he had last year when he was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Year.
“Chris has been our most consistent player all year, and he plays big in big games,” UCSB head coach Tim Vom Steeg said. “If there was going to be somebody to score in that Cal Poly game, it was going to be Pontius.”
Pontius scored 10 seconds into the second overtime when he took a cross from junior David Walker and scissor-kicked in the ball. That goal gave him 26 in his career, which ranks sixth on the UCSB all-time goal-scoring list.
In the win over Riverside, Pontius started off the Gauchos’ season-high in goals when he took a pass from Luis Silva and beat the goalie to the right side. Later in the first half, Pontius assisted on senior Nick Perera’s second goal of the game.
The Gauchos’ next game will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cal State Fullerton and will be broadcast by KCSB 91.9 FM and streaming online at www.kcsb.org.
UCSB’s next home game is Nov. 1 vs. UC Irvine. The first 500 fans will receive a seat cushion, and all fans age 13 or younger will be admitted free thanks to Kids Go to College Night.
Tickets are available by clicking here or by calling 805.893.UCSB.
Matt Hurst is UCSB‘s assistant athletics communications director.