SAN BRUNO, Calif. – It's a Pilot soccer sweep for the WCC Player of the Week awards. After the women's team had Nedya Sawan and Bre Norris earn both WCC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors
earlier today, the men's soccer team had two of their own players earn both honors this week. Gurman Sangha took home the offensive award while George Tasouris took home the defensive award, marking the second time men's soccer has swept the weekly awards this season.
With the sweep for the men's team, the Pilots become the first WCC school to have both soccer teams sweep both offensive and defensive player of the week since the conference switched to recognition of both offensive and defensive player of the week. It is also the first time since 2018 that the Pilots have had both a men's and women's player win the award in the same week, when Kienan Weekes and Larkin Russell did so.
Sangha's win is the first for him, and it comes in deserving fashion after he scored the game-winning goal to give the Pilots a 1-0 victory over the No. 15 Loyola Marymount Lions – last year's WCC champions – in overtime. The goal gave the Pilots their first win over a ranked opponent this season.
The goal was also the first of Sangha's career as a Pilot. The Vancouver, B.C. native joined the Pilots this season as a transfer from Memphis University where he scored five goals and added seven assists over three years. He was named to All-AAC Rookie Team his freshman year and the All-AAC Second Team his sophomore season.
Tasouris, meanwhile, takes home WCC Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, becoming the first Pilot to win twice in one year since Benji Michel did so in 2017. Tasouris helped keep the Pilots in the match with six saves in the shutout victory. It was the third time that Tasouris had earned at least six saves in a match this season. It was also the fifth time he's helped Portland earn a shutout.
The Cyprus native has impressed in goal for the Pilots all season long. He earned WCC Player of the Week earlier this season after getting two critical saves in Portland's 1-0 shutout victory over the now-ranked UCLA Bruins. Tasouris now ranks towards the top of the conference in almost every category. He is first in save percentage (.808), tied for first in shutouts (5), tied for third in goals against (10) and goals-against average (0.83) and fourth in total saves.
The Pilots have two home matches this week, starting with their midweek matchup against the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Oct. 27 followed by their Saturday showdown against the Pacific Tigers on Oct. 30. Both matches are slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats, video and ticket options.