BIDDEFORD, Maine – Suffolk men's soccer saw a pair of student-athletes recognized for their performances over the week by the Commonwealth Coast Conference as Xander Balog was named CCC Defensive Player of the Week and Matthew Belluardo was tabbed CCC Rookie of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Balog picked up a pair of cleansheets this week to backstop Suffolk to a 2-0-0 performance. There was no margin of error for the sophomore from Tallahassee, Florida, as the rams earned both wins by a 1-0 score. First, he made four saves in a non-conference triumph at Lasell. He duplicated that effort three days later to come away with a pivotal CCC decision over Endicott.
Belluardo picked a good time for his first colleigate point. The freshman from Mahwah, New Jersey, found the back of the net on Saturday, accounting for the only goal in the Rams CCC victory over the Gulls.
Both Balog and Belluardo were essential in Suffolk's first-ever win over Endicott.
Belluardo garnered his first collegiate weekly award and is the first Ram to be recognized as the best rookie over a seven-day stretch since Brady Sorensen did so Oct. 4, 2021. Balog, meanwhile, captured his second weekly award from the CCC and second such defensive player of the week nod, first since Oct. 12, 2021. He is the only Ram to receive the award in the CCC era of Suffolk men's soccer.
Suffolk will be back on the pitch Wednesday, Sept. 28 when it steps away from CCC competition to host MIT at East Boston Memorial Park's James A. Sartori Stadium at 7 p.m.