Soul goalkeeper Richey earns league honors

Chicago Soul goalkeeper Jeff Richey has been named the Player of the Week after setting a Major Indoor Soccer League record with 45 saves Friday against Syracuse, league officials announced Tuesday.

Richey also recorded the first shutout in the league since 2011 as the Soul defeated the Syracuse Silver Knights 11-0 at the Sears Centre Arena.

Richey broke the previous record in the league’s current era, held by Jamie Lieberman of the Norfolk SharX with 38 last season against Syracuse. Chicago held a 4-0 lead at the halftime break, with Richey having recorded 22 saves in the opening 30 minutes.

Richey continued to shine in the second half as the Silver Knights continued to carry much of the play. For the game, Syracuse outshot the Soul 48-18, but Richey made a number of outstanding stops to record the first shutout in the MISL since March 4, 2011 when the Milwaukee Wave’s Marcel Feenstra recorded 17 saves in a 21-0 win against the Omaha Vipers.

The Baltimore Blast visit the Chicago Soul at the Sears Centre Arena at 7:30 p.m. Friday with the Blast looking for revenge against the Soul, which handed them their first defeat of the season just before the holiday break.