Maryland men’s soccer defender Johannes Bergmann earned Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors Tuesday after the Terps extended their shutout streak to 387 minutes in wins over Rutgers and Penn State last week.
Bergmann, a sophomore from Germany playing his first year of college soccer, played the entirety of Maryland’s 3-0 win over the Scarlet Knights and 2-0 win at Penn State. The opposing attacks combined for just five shots in those 180 minutes of play.
Michigan State defender Jimmy Fiscus shared the weekly honor with Bergmann. The No. 6 Spartans, who Maryland plays Friday, have allowed one goal in seven games this year.
Meanwhile, Bergmann has helped anchor a backline with five clean sheets in its first seven games. The unit hasn’t allowed a goal since Sep. 1, when the squad beat UCLA, 3-2.
All five of this year’s starters in Maryland’s defense — four defenders and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair — are new to the lineup.
After St. Clair made a career-high six saves to preserve a 0-0 tie with Indiana on Sep. 8, he won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week last week.
Maryland’s average of 0.55 goals allowed per game is the 14th-best mark in the country. The Terps are 6-0-1 overall this year and are 2-0-1 through their first three Big Ten games.
