Nevada Wonders' goalie earns PDL honor

Nevada Wonders may be still looking for their first win, but one of their players has received the team's first award.

Goalie Sebastian Rowe was voted to the Premier Development League (PDL) Week 4 Team of the Week after recording 10 saves in Nevada's 1-1 tie with the Southern California Seahorses on May 10.

"He's done quite well," coach Paul Aigbogun said of his 18-year-old keeper. "It's tough for a goalkeeper to think he's doing well when he's conceding so many goals. But he's done well personally. I think he's getting used to everybody now."

The Wonders (0-5-1) have been outscored 22-2 this season. If not for Rowe, however, that statistic could be much worse. In a 4-0 loss to the Orange County Blue Star on Saturday, Rowe made 16 saves, several of which stopped shots that were destined for the back of the net.

"I've gotten a little more comfortable because we've had the same back four (defenders) the last few games," said Rowe, who has already received interest from colleges looking for a keeper. "It's tough for me to think I'm doing well when the team's not."

Rowe has been the back-up goalie for Bury F.C., a third division club in England, since he was 15. Bury's starting goalie is in his late 20s and Rowe hopes to earn the starting role after a college career in the United States. University of Nevada, Las Vegas, men's soccer coach Barry Barto has already expressed interest in the 6-foot-2 prospect. Barto and other college coaches have told Rowe they will attend one of the Wonders' home games this summer.

Rowe's solid play has also been the reason Reed High's Vince Licciardi left the team. Licciardi, who signed with Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in March, didn't see any action in Nevada's first six games of the season. He has since rejoined his Sacramento-area club team, River City.

Aigbogun, who brought Rowe with him from England, said Licciardi would've been given a chance this season. However, it doesn't make much sense to put one of the top goalies in the PDL's Western Conference on the bench.

"It's tough to bump the PDL goalie of the week," Aigbogun said. "I would've given Vince a chance, just like I gave 'Seb' (Rowe's nickname) a chance. It was going to be what Vince made of his chance."

Orange County's Ryan Coiner, who had a hat trick in his team's win over Nevada on Saturday, was named to the PDL's Week 5 Team of the Week. Southern California Seahorses' midfielder Matt Evans was also named to this week's team after playing well in a 2-2 draw against the Utah Blitzz in Salt Lake City.

Nevada's next game is Friday night at 7:30 against the Fresno Fuego at the Carson High soccer field.