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| Friday, October 18, 2002 14:30 EST |
Ruiz led MLS with 24 goals
[Associated Press]
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Carlos Ruiz won Major League
Soccer's MVP award Friday for leading the league with 24 goals and
helping the Los Angeles Galaxy reach the championship game.
The Galaxy play in Sunday's MLS Cup against New England in
Foxboro, Mass. The Revolution's Taylor Twellman, who led the league
in scoring with 52 points, finished second in the MVP race.
Coaches, players and media members vote for MVP.
Ruiz had 49 points in his first season in the league, while
Twellman had 23 goals. In the scoring race, players get two points
for a goal and one for an assist.
The 23-year-old Ruiz also is the playoff leader with seven goals
and 16 points in five games.
The Guatemalan, known as "El Pescadito'' (The Little Fish),
played in Greece for PAS Ioanina for six months last year after
seven years with CSD Municipal in Guatemala.
On Thursday, the 5-9, 170-pound striker won the goal of the
year award for a score against the Columbus Crew on July 27. He
took a pass from Alejandro Moreno from the left to the right and
volleyed the ball from 6 yards to the far side of the goal.
Ruiz gave the Galaxy an outstanding scorer, something they
lacked last season, when they lost the championship game to San
Jose, 2-1 in overtime. The Galaxy were led last season by Daniel
Hernandez with eight goals, and Cobi Jones with 22 points.
Last year's MVP was the Miami Fusion's Alex Pineda Chacon, who
led the MLS with 19 goals and 47 points. He is now a backup with
the Revolution, who chose him in the dispersal draft after Miami
and Tampa folded.
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