Playing key roles in their team’s double-overtime victory over UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis teammates Lucas Mohageg and Brian Ford claimed the Big West Men’s Soccer Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards.
Mohageg’s Header Seals Win For Aggies
Lucas Mohageg (Los Altos, Calif./Mountain View HS) earned the Big West Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honor as his header with just over three minutes remaining in double overtime handed UC Davis a dramatic 1-0 win over UC Santa Barbara.
In front of a sellout crowd of 1,344 at Aggie Soccer Field, the Aggies and Gauchos were scoreless until the 106:39 mark when Ryan Gross took a free kick from near midfield. The ball lofted toward the back post to Mohageg, who headed it in for his team-best fourth goal of the season.
The win kept UC Davis unbeaten at home (3-0-5) while improving its record to 5-1-8 overall, and the Aggies played overtime for the 10th time in 14 contests – just one short of the NCAA record last accomplished by UC Davis in 2011.
Others nominated: Chase Minter (Cal Poly); Sagi Lev-Ari (CSUN); Bryan Breslin (UC Irvine)
Ford Helps Aggies Blank UC Santa Barbara
Senior Brian Ford (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar HS) anchored the UC Davis back line in an important North Division victory to earn Big West Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
Playing without senior center back Ramon Martin Del Campo, who was serving a red card suspension, Ford provided the glue that helped limit the Gauchos to just two shots on goal and two corner kicks in 107 minutes.
Ford’s persistence paid off as UC Davis won the match with less than three minutes remaining in double overtime. The Aggies secured their fifth shutout of the season. One of three Aggies to have started all 14 contests this season, Ford has played the most minutes on the squad – 1,436 out of a possible 1,456:22.
Others nominated: Wade Hamilton (Cal Poly); Adam Hobbs (CSUN); Cody Hoster (Sacramento State); Michael Breslin (UC Irvine)