ORLANDO – On the heels of his second clean sheet of the fall campaign for the No. 3 UCF men’s soccer team last weekend, goalkeeper Juanvi Muñoz has been recognized by the Sun Belt for his efforts, garnering the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week award, the Sun Belt announced Tuesday.
Muñoz’s weekly award marks the second won by a Knight this season after defender Zane Bubb was tabbed with the same honor following his contributions in the Knights’ 3-1 victory over NC State Sept. 1.
Tuesday’s recognition also represents the second conference weekly award won by Muñoz in his young collegiate career, joining his American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week honor Sept. 5, 2022, when the then-freshman made seven saves in leading UCF to a 2-1 victory over North Florida Aug. 29.
Against the Kentucky Wildcats Friday, Muñoz made a trio of saves to lock down UCF’s second shutout victory of the season, a 1-0 decision on the strength of freshman Saku Heiskanen’s third goal of the year. The Valencia, Spain, native notched his third straight game with three or more saves, as well as his fifth such contest this season, and lowered his goals-against average to an even 1.00 through eight games.
His glistening 1.00 GAA would clinch a share of 13th-lowest in a single season in program history, and his now 1.286 career GAA sits just outside the top nine on the all-time list in program history.
Muñoz also helped clinch the Knights’ sixth match in their first eight thus far with one or fewer goals allowed, lowering UCF’s team goals-against average to a 1.00 mark that shares a tie for 41st in the nation.
Muñoz and the Knights will look to earn another three points in conference play Saturday evening following their first Sun Belt victory against Kentucky last Friday, when the squad will return home for a tilt against the Georgia Southern Eagles. Kickoff for the match is slated for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex.
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