
Koke Vegas Named to USL Championship Team of the Week
August 27, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release
PAWTUCKET, R.I. - Rhode Island FC goalkeeper Koke Vegas has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for his season-high five-save performance, including a late penalty save, which saw him keep the club's seventh clean sheet of the season in its 0-0 draw at Loudoun United FC on Saturday. Vegas is the sixth player of the season to earn the honor twice, joining Jackson Lee, Stephen Turnbull, Jojea Kwizera, Albert Dikwa "Chico" and Frank Nodarse.
The Spanish keeper came up with several heroic saves in the second half of Saturday's match to help the Ocean State club secure a valuable road point. In the 58th minute, Loudoun's Wesley Leggett got on the end of a cross at the back post and fired a low shot towards goal, before Vegas quickly swatted the ball off the line and recovered in time to collect the rebound. As the match approached the final ten minutes of regulation, Loudoun midfielder Abdellatif Aboukoura thought he had scored the go-ahead goal when he launched a curling shot on target from just outside the 18-yard-box, but Vegas reacted quickly again as he made a full-stretch save to keep the match even.
Vegas' most critical effort came in second-half stoppage time, when the homeside was given an opportunity to win the match after the referee awarded a penalty kick for a foul inside the box. Loudoun's leading scorer, Zach Ryan, stepped up to win the match from the spot, but Vegas denied the striker with his first penalty kick stop of the season to preserve the clean sheet.
Vegas is the 18th Rhode Island FC honoree named to the USL Championship's Team of the Week in 2024:
WEEK DATE NAME HONOR
2 March 19 Clay Holstad Team of the Week
3 March 26 Albert Dikwa Team of the Week
5 April 9 Jackson Lee Team of the Week
6 April 16 Jackson Lee Team of the Week
7 April 23 Khano Smith Coach of the Week
7 April 23 Stephen Turnbull Team of the Week
12 May 28 Koke Vegas Team of the Week
16 June 25 Khano Smith Coach of the Week
16 June 25 Stephen Turnbull Team of the Week
16 June 25 Jojea Kwizera Team of the Week
17 July 2 Jojea Kwizera Team of the Week
18 July 9 Frank Nodarse Team of the Week
18 July 9 Marc Ybarra Team of the Week
19 July 16 Albert Dikwa Team of the Week
20 July 23 Zachary Herivaux Player of the Week
21 July 30 Frank Nodarse Team of the Week
July August 7 Khano Smith Coach of the Month
25 August 27 Koke Vegas Team of the Week
Up next, Vegas and the rest of the RIFC squad return home to Beirne Stadium to take on Eastern Conference foe Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday, August 31 at 7:30 p.m. The Ocean State club will look to sweep Birmingham this season after earning a 3-1 victory at Protective Stadium when the two clubs first met on July 17. Tickets to the next home match are available now at rhodeislandfc.com/tickets.
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 27, 2024
- Charleston Battery's Markanich Named USLC Player of the Week for Week 25 - Charleston Battery
- A Triple Threat: Republic FC Names Three August Coaches of the Month - Sacramento Republic FC
- Mamadou Dieng and Emmanuel Samadia Named to USL Championship Team of the Week - Hartford Athletic
- Quartet of Hounds Pull Weekly Honors - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
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- Souahy, Laszo Net USL Championship Team of the Week 25 Honors Following Gritty Win - FC Tulsa
- Koke Vegas Named to USL Championship Team of the Week - Rhode Island FC
- Miami FC Falls at Tampa Bay - Miami FC
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- Learning with Legion Caps off Successful Debut - Birmingham Legion FC
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