ARKADELPHIA- To cap off the 2010 regular season, Ouachita Baptist swept the Gulf South Conference Men’s Soccer awards, as sophomore Payam Pourjavad was named GSC Player of the Week and freshman goalkeeper Grayson Townsend took home GSC Defender of the Week honors, conference officials announced on Monday.
Pourjavad collects his first career accolade after leading the Tigers to their second consecutive GSC Tournament berth this past Friday. The Plano, Texas native notched the game-winner at Harding before assisting on the final tally as OBU earned at least the No. 3 seed in the GSC postseason, 2-0. The sophomore netted another game-winner Sunday as the Tigers edged Houston-Victoria (Texas), 2-1.
Pourjavad is currently eighth in the GSC in points with 10 points off of three goals and four assists in 2010. The sophomore also ranks fifth in assists and sixth in assists per game (.25) along with fourth in game-winning goals with two.
Townsend earns his first career honor and becomes just the second Tiger net minder to claim laurels after guiding Ouachita Baptist to its second-straight GSC Tournament appearance. The freshman from Wylie, Texas stopped all six shots he faced as the Tigers blanked Harding and punched their postseason ticket, 2-0. Townsend allowed one goal in Sunday’s contest with Houston-Victoria (Texas), but made five saves as OBU won, 2-1.
Townsend is among the best keepers in the GSC entering the GSC Tournament, as the freshman is tops in goals against average (1.06), goals against (15), save percentage (.805), shutouts (4) and shutouts per game (.27). The Wylie native is also fourth in both saves (42) and saves per game (62).
Ouachita Baptist will next play in the GSC Tournament, which begins Friday, Nov. 5 in Pensacola, Fla. The Tigers will play at 4:30 p.m. as either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed depenant upon the outcome of Christian Brothers/Harding in a GSC matchup on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
