Nov. 9, 2009

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga University senior men's soccer goalkeeper Scott Barnum has been named the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week, WCC commissioner Jamie Zaninovich announced Monday.

Barnum shared the award with another keeper in Loyola Marymount University senior Patrick Sampson.

Despite losing two matches, Barnum was spectacular in goal for the Bulldogs on the road last week. Friday at LMU the Lions launched 23 shots, 14 on goal as Barnum made a career and season-high 12 saves to become Gonzaga's all-time single-season saves leader with 92, surpassing the 91 of Mike McCarthy in 2002. The match-tying goal for the Lions was a penalty kick. The Lions prevailed 2-1, but he made five saves on shots that appeared ticketed for the net only to making a diving or kick save to deny the Lions.

Sunday at the University of San Diego the Toreros took 14 shots, eight on goal and the match was decided on a penalty kick in overtime. The native of Fall City, Wash., had seven saves - three tough saves to deny USD - to run his Gonzaga career-leading saves total to 99, which also leads the WCC this year. He had a .864 saves percentage for the week and his .824 saves percentage for the season leads the WCC. His 1.19 goals-against-average is fourth in the WCC.

Sampson marked his final weekend at Sullivan Field with a pair of victories to help LMU climb from last place in the WCC into a tie for third heading into the last week of play. Sampson started Friday's game against Gonzaga on the bench but replaced Max Young at halftime with the score tied at 1-1. Called into action for the final 45 minutes, Sampson made three saves to shut out the Bulldogs as LMU rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 2-1 victory. The three saves put him at 100 for his career.

On Sunday, Sampson was one of seven LMU seniors honored in the final home game of 2009 and then went out to record his fifth career clean sheet, and first of the season, making two saves to blank Portland.