TUKWILA, Wash. – Which MLS goalkeeper currently leads the league in saves, has four clean sheets in nine games and recently set a franchise record for consecutive minutes played?

If you guessed Seattle Sounders ‘keeper Stefan Frei, you would be correct.

Frei’s progression last season from having his status as the starter come into question to becoming Seattle’s undisputed No. 1 has been well-documented. But as the Sounders integrate three new starters into their backline this season, the 29-year-old has been entrusted with even more responsibility.

He has responded to the challenge, racking up 36 saves so far this year, including 10 in the Sounders’ 3-2 loss Saturday to Columbus Crew SC – a result that would have been much more lopsided had Frei not denied a handful of additional good looks from Columbus.

Frei says it’s just the next step as he tries to build on the strides he has made since the second half of last season.

“The moment you stop trying to get better, that’s when people are going to catch up or surpass you, and that’s when you run into trouble,” Frei told MLSsoccer.com. “I still have a long ways to go, I think.”

The strong start has come at a time when the Sounders have needed it the most.

Brad Evans has seemed more comfortable at center back in recent games after a few early-season miscues but is still learning a position that he’s never played in MLS. Third-year left back Dylan Remick has been mostly solid in his six starts but is still inexperienced, starting consistently for the first time in his career. Right back Tyrone Mears, meanwhile, is also still acclimating to a new team and a new country after spending his entire professional career in England.

The new cast of characters has fared reasonably well considering their relative lack of familiarity with one another. But there have also been stretches of growing pains, particularly in Columbus where the Sounders conceded a whopping 25 shots.

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“We all work together to try and get better as individuals, but also as a group,” Frei said of the chemistry of his new-look back four. “We try to help each other, and when we have to make an adjustment here or there everybody knows what’s expected of them. We know we’re fully confident in any player being able to perform the way he’s supposed to.”

Frei’s progression was put into perspective when, after shutting out the Portland Timbers in a 1-0 victory on April 26, he apologized to Schmid after he accidentally dropped the ball in his own penalty box and almost conceded an equalizer.

Schmid responded by telling his ‘keeper to think about his situation at the moment compared to where he was at this time last year.

“Stef came up to me after the game and said, ‘Sorry, I made that more exciting than it needed to be,” Schmid said. “And I said, ‘Just think back where you were a year ago, how far you’ve come.’ I am just really happy for him because I think he is showing our fans here and people around the league the quality goalkeeper that he is.”

The task for Frei and the Seattle backline doesn’t get any easier as they prepare for their matchup this weekend: A Cascadia Cup clash on the road against the Vancouver Whitecaps (7 pm ET; TSN1), who are currently tied with FC Dallas atop the league standings with 20 points and have proven to be lethal in transition, much in the same way Crew SC gave them trouble last weekend.

“[The Whitecaps] try and run you and try and get balls behind,” Schmid said. “They’re also a dangerous team that wants to counter attack. Unlike Columbus, they’ll sometimes give up possession to try and get that.”