PacWest Weekly Awards (Sept. 27)

IRVINE, Calif. – Standing out in the first collegiate action of his career, Academy of Art men's soccer freshman goalkeeper Omer Tal has been named the Pacific West Conference Defender of the Week after a shutout effort during ART U's 0-0 draw with Holy Names in non-conference action. The award is for matches played from Sept. 20-26. 

Tal would face 16 shots in his first collegiate start, stopping a total of nine of them which is tied for the ninth-most saves in a single match in program history. His effort kept the Knights in the match, with the offense nearly missing on a few great chances including sophomore midfielder Gilly Miller twice ringing the goal frame. Six of the nine saves made by Tal came in the opening period, while he also benefited from a few HNU shots bouncing off the goalposts. 

This marks the first weekly award for an Urban Knight this season, as well as the first PacWest award of Tal's career. In ART U program history, Tal is the third goalkeeper to win the Defender of the Week honor (second freshman keeper; last: Kevin Mendez), and is the first to do so since Kris Jensson on Oct. 22, 2018.