BIDDEFORD, Maine – Xander Balog of the Suffolk men's soccer team was named Commonwealth Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a 1-0-0 week in net, the league office unveiled Tuesday afternoon.
Balog, a freshman from Tallahassee, Florida, turned aside all four shots against Nichols Saturday, Oct. 9 to help the Rams shutout the Bison, 1-0, and move to 2-2-0 against conference counterparts this year.
The goalkeeper is the first Suffolk student-athlete to take home the league's best defensive player over a seven-day stretch title this season and first Ram keeper to pick up a weekly accolade since Steven Lopez was named Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Goalkeeper of the Week Sept. 30, 2019. Balog's first-ever weekly honor marks the fourth for Suffolk this season as Miguel Varela and Brady Sorensen garnered CCC Rookie of the Week Sept. 20 and Oct. 4, respectively, and Nigel Leo picked up CCC Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 8.
Balog and the Rams are headed up to Biddeford, Maine, right now for a Tuesday, Oct. 12 tilt at The University of New England. First kick is set for 4 p.m.