Keller Named MLS Player of the Week

Kasey Keller makes season-high seven saves in win over San Jose.

NEW YORK – Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 31 of the 2011 MLS season. Keller made a season-high seven saves—including back-to-back saves and two other dives to dispossess players in the goal area, all in the 65th minute—in Seattle’s 2-1 comeback victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

Keller became the fifth Sounders FC player to win Player of the Week this season. Lamar Neagle won for Week 24, Mauro Rosales for Week 18, Fredy Montero for Week 17 and Jeff Parke won it in Week 10.

Keller, who won MLS Player of the Week in Week 2 of 2009, helped keep Seattle within striking distance with his stops, which included a difficult denial of Chris Wondolowski’s downward close-range header in the 43rd minute, with San Jose leading, 1-0.

Sounders FC eventually pulled even on Sammy Ochoa’s first MLS goal in the 82nd minute and they won the match on Fredy Montero’s 12th goal of the season in the 87th minute.

A Seattle record MLS crowd of 64,140 attended the match, which was followed by a tribute to Keller who was playing his final home regular season game. He plans to retire at the end of the 2011 season.

Sounders FC have won four of their last five going into Saturday night’s match at Chivas USA. First kick is 7:30 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center.

On Tuesday night Seattle hosts Mexico’s CF Monterrey in the final round of CONCACAF Champions League group play. Kickoff is 7 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.