Fernando Contreras nabs second Heart Defensive Player of the Week honor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Coming off of what could arguably be the best win in Clarke University men's soccer program history, Pride goalkeeper Fernando Contreras was selected as the Heart of America Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Contreras earns his third career Defensive Player of the Week from the Heart and, as mentioned, second of the 2022 season following the honor also coming his way on Sept. 5.

The sophomore from El Salvador only allowed one goal in CU's 2-0 and 4-1 wins over Graceland University on Tuesday night and No. 8 MidAmerica Nazrene University on Homecoming this past Saturday night. In those games, Contreras made four and five saves respectively including locking in his second individual shutout and third overall this season.

In his first full season as the starter, Contreras has so far made a total of 38 saves and allowed 1.28 goals per game on his way to stabilizing defensive efforts for the Pride's 6-1-2 overall record so far in 2022.

Contreras and Clarke men's soccer will be on the road this Wednesday at Culver-Stockton College before hosting another top Heart opponent in No. 5 Missouri Valley College at Burrows Field this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT.