Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
WSOC | Plachy Earns Second WCC Defensive Player of the Week This Season After Six-Save Shutout
10/5/2026 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Saint Mary's women's soccer's redshirt junior goalkeeper Kate Plachy earned her second West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week award following a six-save performance and her fifth shutout of the season in the Gaels' 3-0 victory over USF on Friday. Plachy has now won the honor seven times in her collegiate career, the most by any Gael women's soccer player, and is the first repeat winner of the award this season.
After taking over for redshirt freshman goalkeeper Soraya Souvanaphong, who sustained an injury in the Gaels' 1-0 victory over USC on August 30th, Plachy stepped in and recorded six saves against the Trojans to keep the Gaels' record-setting shutout streak alive. Plachy has since allowed a measly three goals in eight matches, and currently leads the conference in Goals-Against-Average (.640) and Save Percentage (.857) while leading the Gaels to the best Win-Loss-Percentage in the WCC. Both Plachy and Souvanaphong have yet to allow a goal in six home matches this season as well.
Recording her fourth five-plus-save match of the season versus the Dons, the redshirt junior goalkeeper now has 30 saves this season and 151 in her Gael career, ranking eighth all-time among Gael goalkeepers. Plachy finished last season starting all 18 games and recorded a team-high 1,620 minutes of action, while only allowing 11 goals with 12 shutouts over the year. In addition to the 2025 WCC Goalkeeper of the Year honor, Plachy also earned All-WCC First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team honors as one of the best keepers in the nation.
Saint Mary's returns to Moraga this Wednesday, October 7, as they take on the LMU Lions at 4 p.m. The Gaels will then head to Portland to take on the Pilots on Saturday, October 10, at 6 p.m to conclude week three of WCC action. Both matches can be streamed live on ESPN+, with tickets for Wednesday's match available for purchase HERE or at smcgaels.com/tickets.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
After taking over for redshirt freshman goalkeeper Soraya Souvanaphong, who sustained an injury in the Gaels' 1-0 victory over USC on August 30th, Plachy stepped in and recorded six saves against the Trojans to keep the Gaels' record-setting shutout streak alive. Plachy has since allowed a measly three goals in eight matches, and currently leads the conference in Goals-Against-Average (.640) and Save Percentage (.857) while leading the Gaels to the best Win-Loss-Percentage in the WCC. Both Plachy and Souvanaphong have yet to allow a goal in six home matches this season as well.
Recording her fourth five-plus-save match of the season versus the Dons, the redshirt junior goalkeeper now has 30 saves this season and 151 in her Gael career, ranking eighth all-time among Gael goalkeepers. Plachy finished last season starting all 18 games and recorded a team-high 1,620 minutes of action, while only allowing 11 goals with 12 shutouts over the year. In addition to the 2025 WCC Goalkeeper of the Year honor, Plachy also earned All-WCC First Team and United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team honors as one of the best keepers in the nation.
Saint Mary's returns to Moraga this Wednesday, October 7, as they take on the LMU Lions at 4 p.m. The Gaels will then head to Portland to take on the Pilots on Saturday, October 10, at 6 p.m to conclude week three of WCC action. Both matches can be streamed live on ESPN+, with tickets for Wednesday's match available for purchase HERE or at smcgaels.com/tickets.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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