Maryland men’s soccer goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.
St. Clair recorded a career-high six saves in the Terps’ 0-0 tie with then-No. 4 Indiana on Friday.
Three of the redshirt sophomore’s saves were eye-popping, including two game-saving, diving stops in the sixth minute of overtime, when he went to his left and then his right to turn away would-be Hoosiers game-winners.
“Yes,” St. Clair said when asked if he felt he proved himself Friday. “But I also think there’s much more to prove. One game doesn’t define the whole season for me.”
It was the biggest test of St. Clair’s career, which began with two starts in 2015 but was paused last year when he redshirted to train with the Canadian Youth National Team. He’s played every minute of the 2017 season.
Coach Sasho Cirovski said the Pickering, Ontario, native had an “outstanding game” against the Hoosiers.
In his first six starts, St. Clair never recorded more than four saves.
The last Maryland player to win Defensive Player of the Week was goalkeeper Cody Niedermeier in 2016, who was the team’s starter for two seasons before graduating last year.
