Four goals against Doxa Italia earned David Geno the honor after a 5-1 win advanced the PDL club to the second round of the Open Cup.
A week ago, David Geno was a virtual unknown in the Seattle area.
The 21-year-old native of Kingsport, Tennessee, came to the Sounders U23s this month as a fan of the Seattle Sounders FC because he has family in the area and was instantly awestruck by the team in their inaugural season in 2009.
Now, after scoring four goals in the first half of their US Open Cup match against Doxa Italia on Tuesday, he was named Player of the Round for the first round of the tournament. The Sounders U23s, who are based out of Tacoma, won the match against Doxa Italia 5-1 and will meet the Charlotte Eagles of the USL PRO in the second round of the tournament on Tuesday in North Carolina.
Geno was the 10th player in the modern era of the US Open Cup (1995-present) to score four goals in a game, but was pulled at halftime before he had the opportunity to pursue the modern record of six goals in a match.
The senior at East Tennessee State University had 23 goals and 14 assists in his first three seasons, including 11 goals and eight assists in 20 games as a junior in 2012.
If the U23s upset Charlotte, they will match up with the Chicago Fire in the third round.
