For the second consecutive time, a Seattle Sounder has been voted MLS Etihad Airways Player of the Month.

Seattle defender Chad Marshall was named MLS Player of the Month for September, it was revealed on Thursday. His award comes one month after midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro won the August honor.

Marshall took home 30.66 percent of the vote, beating New York City FC forward David Villa (29.94 percent) by less than one percentage point to win the award. New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips finished third in the fan voting (18.43 percent). He was followed by LA Galaxy star Giovani dos Santos (14.74 percent) and Columbus Crew SC striker Ola Kamara (6.23 percent).

The veteran defender was huge for Seattle in September, teaming with Panamanian international Roman Torres to lead a backline that registered two shutouts and allowed just three goals in four matches as the Sounders climbed back above the red line with a 3-0-1 record. Marshall also got involved in the attack, scoring the game-winning goal in Seattle’s 1-0 win against Chicago on Sept. 28.

The five Etihad Airways Player of the Month finalists are selected at the end of each month by the MLSsoccer.com editorial staff. The winner is then determined by a fan vote.

Marshall and the Sounders, who moved to fifth place in the West with Sunday’s win at Vancouver, will return to action next Wednesday, when they host the Houston Dynamo at CenturyLink Field (10:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE).