Toth named MASL goalkeeper of the year

Chris Toth has been named as the Major Arena Soccer League's goalkeeper of the year.

The 2007 Fallbrook High School graduate was also named to the all-MASL first team. Each MASL team's head coach or general manager voted for the league post-season awards.

"I'm very happy about it," Toth said. "I thought I had a good year personally."

Toth played 12 games during the regular season and allowed 45 goals for a 3.80 goals against average, and his 134 saves gave him a save percentage of .753. He was also one of only two MASL goalkeepers to record a shutout during the 2017-18 season. Toth had assists on five of the Sockers' goals.

"A lot of credit goes to the team and how they defended all year, made my job easier," Toth said.

Toth split goalkeeping activity with Boris Pardo, and Toth also gives credit to Pardo for allowing Toth to rest and be fresh. Pardo's .747 save percentage ranked third in the league behind the .770 of Baltimore goalie William Vanzela and Toth's .753 save percentage. Pardo's 3.70 goals against average led the league while Toth was second in that statistic and Vanzela was third with a 4.18 goals against average.

"He had a fantastic year as well," Toth said. "We were talking all year that if we were one and two in the stats maybe they'd split the award."

Pardo, who played 10 of the Sockers' regular-season games, was selected to the all-MASL third team. Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Josh Lemos, whose 16 wins led the league and who had the other 2017-18 MASL shutout, was the second-team goalie.

The Sockers' regular-season record was 19-3. Toth had 10 wins and two regular-season losses. Pardo had nine wins and an overtime loss. The Sockers allowed 84 goals in their 22 regular-season games while scoring 166.

"I thought it was a great year," Toth said.

Toth was also the MASL goalkeeper of the year and a member of the all-MASL first team for 2016-17, when he had a 9-2 record in his 11 regular-season starts. Toth was named to the all-MASL third team for 2014-15 but did not receive all-MASL honors for the 2015-16 season.