MIAMI (Oct. 5, 2021) – Kareem "Enzo" Riley of the FIU men's soccer team has been named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon.

"This is a great honor for Enzo [Riley]," said Head Coach Kyle Russell. "He's one of our team captains and he's scored in three different games for us and helped post five clean sheets."

FIU has now seen a defender earn the C-USA weekly honor for a third time this season, after Philip Hildebrandt (Aug. 31) and David Garcia (Sept. 7) earned the accolades in weeks prior.

The league award marks the first -ever for senior center back Riley, who logged his third goal of the season against Charlotte and helped FIU post its fifth clean sheet of the year against a 49ers squad that was receiving votes the USC poll.

Riley's play in the FIU backline resulted in Charlotte's first 4-0 defeat since Sept. 5, 2005. The center back also helped contain the 49ers to only five shot attempts, marking Charlotte's lowest tally of this season.

In the 40th minute of the contest with the Panthers up by two goals, Riley helped deflate the 49ers' hopes for a comeback with a stunning goal to put FIU up 3-0 just before halftime. After the Panthers earned a corner kick, Riley located a ball that was cleared away from inside the box and one-timed it before the ball hit the ground, sending a high moonshot into the air that landed just behind the outstretched hands of Charlotte's goalkeeper and into the 49ers' net.

FIU has now seen a defender score in seven of its nine contests this season, with Riley contributing scores in three different games. As a team, the Panthers are now tied for sixteenth nationally in shutout percentage (.556).

Riley ranks second on the team with 783 minutes played on the year.

UP NEXT
The Panthers are set for another epic Conference USA showdown against a ranked opponent, when they travel to face No. 10 Kentucky next Sunday, Oct. 10. Kickoff against the Wildcats is set for 6 p.m. ET from Bell Soccer Complex.

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