‘Moose’ earns Player of the Week (Soccer)
Just a few days after rallying his team to a signature victory on the soccer field, Macalester College senior Stephen Murphy-Logue of Anchorage was recognized as MIAC Player of the Week.
The 6-foot-4 midfielder bagged a pair of goals in the closing minutes of a 4-3 OT win over St. Thomas in NCAA D3 action Friday. The triumph was especially impressive when you consider Macalester overcame a three-goal deficit in the final 15 minutes.
“It was an incredible experience that I will never forget,” Murphy-Logue told me. “The win was even more special because it kept us in the hunt for the MIAC Conference Championship and St. Thomas happens to be our biggest rival.
“We are a strong group collectively and never give up. With soccer it is highly unlikely to come back from 3-0, especially with only 15 minutes to go, but comebacks occasionally happen. Some teams are able to respond to adversity better than others and I happen to play with a group of guys who are mentally and physically strong.”
Still, being down three goals is pretty hopeless after 75 minutes.
But that’s when the ‘Moose’ got loose.
Murphy-Logue, of West High fame, struck twice in the closing minutes, scoring his first goal in the 76th minute on a PK and his second goal in the 88th minute when he ran down a loose ball and beat the keeper from eight yards out.
“I ran after it and shouldered a defender off the ball. Another midfielder on my team made a late run into the box and I played a one-two with him and put the ball in the back of the net,” he said.
Macalester tied the match in the final minute of regulation and eventually won it 30 seconds into OT.
Murphy-Logue’s latest success continued the greatest scoring season of his career with seven goals and 16 points in 16 games, helping Macalester run its record to 12-3-1.
“I have taken it upon myself to step up and become a goal scorer this year,” he said. “It is not my primary responsibility to score goals on the field but I have developed a nose for finding the back of the net. It is an aspect of my game that has really improved over the years.”
