By: Battery Media
The USL Championship announced Tuesday that Battery goalkeeper Trey Muse (right) and defender Derek Dodson were named to the league's Week 9 Team of the Week. Muse's exceptional evening earned him Championship Player of the Week, presented by Konami eFootball. AJ Paterson notched an honorable mention with a selection to the Team of the Week Bench.
The weekly awards cap off the Battery's Week 9, which saw the club return to first place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Muse put on a dazzling display in goal with six saves on the night, including a crucial penalty save that preserved the Battery's 0-1 lead late in the second half. Muse guessed correctly on the penalty kick to deny former Mexico international Cubo Torres from the spot. Additionally, four of Muse's saves came from shots inside the box. The goalkeeper tallied his third clean sheet of the season, which ranks him tied for third-most in the league.
Dodson commanded a presence at Cashman Field and regularly defused Light FC's threats on his side. The defender led the match in duels won (12) and recoveries (13), and additionally registered six clearances and one tackle won. Dodson's performance earned him his second Team of the Week nod after being a selection in Week 6.
Paterson was a force on the back line as well, tallying match-highs in clearances (12) and interceptions (three, tied), along with eight duels won.
Head Coach Ben Pirmann congratulated the trio for their achievements.
“Trey had a great match in Vegas; he made solid saves in the first half, a match-winning penalty save and then another stop at the end when Vegas went all in,” said Coach Pirmann. “He deserves this honor and it will continue to give him confidence as he has been a massive player for us this season.
“Derek has been very steady at right-back this year and we are excited for him to be honored, he puts in consistent performances week in and week out. AJ has also had a tremendous season and has led this team on and off the pitch as our captain, what he does for our club goes unnoticed, so we are so thrilled for him to be recognized.
“Any time our players are earning awards, that means we are succeeding as a club. Our players have worked hard and it's very rewarding for them as individuals, but even more so as a team, to be honored for their achievements. We hope that we can continue to improve and earn more results and awards.”
Muse earned 67% of the ballot to claim the award, Miami FC's Florian Valot finished second on 17% of the votes. The Championship's Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.
The slate of honors comes as Charleston look to build upon their momentum in league play as the club sits atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Black and Yellow will take on defending champions San Antonio FC on Sat., May 13, at Patriots Point and tickets are available now via SeatGeek.com, the Battery's exclusive digital ticketing provider.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 9
GK – Trey Muse, Charleston Battery | Player of the Week
Bench: Bill Hamid (MEM), Harry Swartz (NM), AJ Paterson (CHS), Taylor Davila (RGV), Enzo Martinez (BHM), Laurent Kissiedou (MEM), Christian Volesky (MB)
