ROCK HILL, S.C. - After achieving a level of success that possibly surpassed all expectations last season, the Anderson men's soccer team has been picked to finish fourth in a vote by South Atlantic Conference coaches, as released Wednesday afternoon by the conference office.
The Trojans raced out of the gate and began last season with a perfect 6-0 record en route to posting a school-record 13 wins on the season, eventually notching a 13-4-3 mark. Anderson soared as high as 11th in the national rankings, marking the first time in school history that AU climbed into the Top 25 poll. An explosive offensive helped propel the team to the number two seed in the NCAA's Southeast Super Region 3, where Anderson defeated Carson-Newman in the opening round before falling to eventual national runner-up Lees-McRae College.
Carson-Newman, which won the South Atlantic Conference men's soccer championship the last two seasons, is the choice to repeat and capture the 2010 SAC championship. The Eagles received five first-place votes and 94 total points.
The Eagles placed seven on the preseason All-Conference team, including four on the first team. Forward Robert Hill and defender Matthew Finlay were both all-region performers last season, and are joined on the first team by midfielder Richard Marquetty and defender Adam Thomas. Midfielder Ben Backstron, defender Anthony Chiapetta and goalkeeper Jordan Moore were named to the second team.
Wingate University is picked to finish second with 89 points. The Bulldogs also received three first-place votes. Wingate returns midfielder Luke Mulholland, the 2009 SAC Player of the Year and an All-American. Joining Mulholland on the preseason All-Conference first team is defender Tom Poole. Two more defenders - Jack Vundum and Corey McCollom were named to the second team.
Lincoln Memorial University is picked to finish third with 76 points. LMU received the other two first-place votes. The Railsplitters placed four representatives on the preseason All-Conference first team. Midfielder Aaron McKenna and defender Lucas Pereira were both all-region selections last season and are joined by forward Fernando Silveira and goalkeeper Mike Watkins, who led the SAC in goals against average last season.
The Trojans received 68 total points and were picked to finish fourth. Anderson placed three on the preseason All-Conference team in midfielder Adrien Moufflet, a first-team selection, and forward Lasse Sohrweide and defender James Moseley on the second team.
AU will be looking to replace a pair of all-conference performers in Paulo Passini and Rayon Markland, but return 19 letterwinners, including nine starters.
Moufflet, a senior from Borbeaux, France, played in 18 matches last season, tying for team assist honors by dishing out six and tied for ninth in the Conference Carolinas in assists.
Sohrweide was an all-region performer in 2009 after wrapping up the season by ranking 48th nationally in goals per game and held team scoring honors with 31 points behind 14 goals and three assists. In addition to anchoring a stellar defense, Moseley, a sophomore from London, England, scored a goal and recorded two assists, including an assist on the game-winning score versus Queens on Sept. 12.
Defending Food Lion SAC Tournament champion Tusculum College is the pick to finish fifth with 58 points. The Pioneers, under first-year head coach Steve Voltz, placed forward Andres Jarquin on the preseason All-Conference first team.
Lenoir-Rhyne University is sixth in the poll with 54 points. Bears forward Dave Bailey, who led the SAC with 2.25 points per match and was an All-Region selection, was named to the preseason All-Conference first team, while midfielder Oriol Cortes was named to the second team.
Mars Hill College picked up 43 points to finish seventh in the poll. The Lions placed three on the preseason All-Conference second team. Forwards Rury Caulfield and Friddy Hoegener are joined by midfielder Giovanni Malnati. Caulfield scored 10 goals last season.
Newberry College is eighth with 31 points. The Wolves placed forward Adrian Ochoa, the 2009 SAC Freshman of the Year, and midfielder Nate Arroyo on the preseason All-Conference second team.
Catawba College received 25 points for ninth place, while Brevard College rounds out the poll with 12 points.
The league's top eight teams will advance to the 2010 Food Lion
SAC Men's Soccer Tournament. Quarterfinal play will be Wednesday,
November 3 on campus sites, with winners advancing to the
semifinals at the Manchester Meadows soccer stadium in Rock Hill,
S.C., Friday, November 5, with the finals on Sunday, November
7.
Anderson opens its 2010 regular season on Friday, Sept. 3, versus
North Georgia at the Clayton State Laker Shootout.
2010 SAC MEN'S SOCCER COACHES POLL
School Pts.
Carson-Newman (5) 94
Wingate (3) 89
Lincoln Memorial (2) 76
Anderson 68
Tusculum 58
Lenoir-Rhyne 54
Mars Hill 43
Newberry 31
Catawba 25
Brevard 12
(First place votes in parenthesis)
2010 MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON ALL-SAC
FIRST TEAM
Forward - Robert Hill, Carson-Newman
Forward - Dave Bailey, Lenoir-Rhyne
Forward - Fernando Silveira, Lincoln Memorial,
Forward - Andres Jarquin, Tusculum
Midfielder - Adrien Moufflet, Anderson
Midfielder - Richard Marquetty, Carson-Newman
Midfielder - Aaron McKenna, Lincoln Memorial
Midfielder - Luke Mulholland, Wingate
Defender - Adam Thomas, Carson-Newman
Defender - Matthew Finlay, Carson-Newman
Defender - Lucas Pereira, Lincoln Memorial
Defender - Tom Poole, Wingate
Goalkeeper - Mike Watkins, Lincoln Memorial
SECOND TEAM
Forward - Lasse Sohrweide, Anderson
Forward - Rury Caulfield, Mars Hill
Forward - Friddy Hoegener, Mars Hill
Forward - Adrian Ochoa, Newberry
Midfielder - Ben Backstron, Carson-Newman
Midfielder - Oriol Cortes, Lenoir-Rhyne
Midfielder - Giovanni Malnati, Mars Hill
Midfielder - Nate Arroyo, Newberry
Defender - James Moseley, Anderson
Defender -Anthony Chiapetta, Carson-Newman
Defender - Jack Vundum, Wingate
Defender -Corey McCollom, Wingate
Goalkeeper - Jordan Moore, Carson-Newman
