Seattle Sounders Homegrown goalkeeper Trey Muse put in a heroic performance for the Tacoma Defiance in their 1-1 draw at New Mexico United on Wednesday night.
Facing an opponent desperate for three points – a win would have put New Mexico in the final USL Championship Playoff spot for the Western Conference – Muse, 20, racked up 13 saves, several of which were truly remarkable.
In the 95th minute, Muse pulled off a logic-defying quadruple save as Tacoma held on for a massive road point. He now has 93 saves from 21 starts in the USL Championship this season, which is tied for the third-most saves in the league.
At just 20 years old, Muse was one of the veterans on the squad that faced New Mexico, a team that has three players with double-digit goals this season.
Ten players in Wednesday's starting lineup have come through Sounders Academy in the last three years, eight of whom are still age eligible to play for the U-19 Academy team, and an average age of 18.1 years old.
Right back Bryson Hankins, 16, made his professional debut, while Chris Hegardt, 17, started alongside Peter Kingston, 18, in central midfield. Academy left back Alex Villanueva, 17, impressed in his fifth start, and center back Sam Rogers pulled off a number of impressive last-ditch tackles to neutralize New Mexico.
Winger Azriel Gonzalez, who signed with the club’s USL Championship outfit directly from Sounders Academy back in 2017, scored Tacoma’s lone goal with an individual bit of brilliance, beating his man twice before rifling a left-footed shot inside the far post. Gonzalez, 18, now has three goals, three assists and 12 key passes in 2019, despite missing three months with a foot injury.
The Defiance will close out the 2019 USL Championship season at Cheney Stadium on October 19 (7:00 p.m. PT; ESPN+).
