Oct. 11, 2010

BERKELEY - California senior defender A.J. Soares claimed the College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week honors and spots on both national soccer websites' national teams of the week, the sites announced on Monday, for his superb play in the Golden Bears' recent road wins over Oregon State and Washington. Fourteenth-ranked Cal routed the Beavers, 5-0, on Oct. 8 and the Huskies, 4-1, on Oct. 10 to improve its overall record to 7-1-2 and its Pac-10 mark to 3-0-0. Soares scored two goals against Oregon State and tallied one goal and one assist against Washington.

This is Soares' second appearance on the CSN National Team of the Week, after he earned a spot for his play in Cal's season-opening 2-1 win over then-No. 20 Indiana and his performance in the Bears' 0-0 tie with then-No.18 Notre Dame. Today's honor also marks Cal's second straight CSN National Team of the Week accolade, as sophomore forward John Fitzpatrick appeared on last week's team.

Cal has also placed a player on Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week for two straight weeks, as Fitzpatrick was so honored last week. This is the Bears' third overall appearance on the Top Drawer Soccer team, as senior forward Davis Paul claimed a berth on Sept. 13.

The Bears return to Goldman Field at Edwards Stadium to face two more Pac-10 opponents: San Diego State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, and UCLA at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17.