Orlando City SC goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. was named to the USL All-League Second Team today, after his stellar season on loan with Orlando City B.
The 2015 MLS SuperDraft 3rd round pick played played 23 games with Orlando’s USL team through most of the 2017 season. Despite missing nine of the final 11 games after being called up to the MLS team, Edwards still managed to finish top 10 in saves, top five in clean sheets and finish with a 75% save success rate and a 1.13 goals against average.
Edwards, who has been with the Lions since 2015, was able to get a full season of games under his belt for the first time as a professional. For his first two years with Orlando, he served as a backup to Tally Hall and Joe Bendik, biding his time and learning from seasoned veterans. 2017 served as Edwards proving grounds, as he took the league by storm. After a slow start out the gates, the keeper helped guide OCB to a 12-game unbeaten run, in which he had six clean sheets.
Edwards was also named USL Player of the Month for August, where he posted three shutouts in five games played, saving 88% of the shots that he faced.
For the MLS side, Edwards had played sparingly in U.S. Open Cup matches and friendlies in 2015 and 2016, finally playing in a league match in the last game this season in Philadelphia. Now looking ahead to next season, the 25-year-old will have lots to build on as he continues to improve in the professional game.
