Roanoke, Va. Wesleyan Sit Tight Atop
Men’s Soccer Poll
First and Second Separated by One
Vote, LC in Third
August 29, 2007
SALEM, Va. ---
Only one vote separates the top two
spots in the 2007 ODAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll as Roanoke
College sits a slim favorite over Virginia Wesleyan College atop the
annual coaches’ survey. The Maroons received six first place votes
and 88 overall tallies while the Marlins managed 87 total votes
including a pair of first place nods. Lynchburg College, the
defending league champion, rounds out the top three with 81 votes
and the remaining two top spot considerations.
Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan both
made it through to the 2006 NCAA Division III Tournament, the latter
school doing so by virtue of an at-large bid. The Hornets saw its
season end in the first round of the competition thanks to a goal in
the 98th minute of play by N.C. Wesleyan. The Marlins,
having defeated Greensboro 5-0 in the first round, also had its
season abruptly halted in overtime by N.C. Wesleyan with a goal in
the 112th minute.
Roanoke, last season’s ODAC
tournament top seed, returns the 2006 ODAC Player of the Year, Eric
Eversole. The senior midfielder led the squad with 19 points on
nine goals and three assists. Despite Eversole’s efforts, the
Maroons scored a conference-low 24 goals a season ago, but Roanoke’s
defense proved more than dependable in allowing only 22 goals
throughout the schedule. The numbers were more impressive in
conference play as the Maroons surrendered only eight scores in
league play while collecting six clean sheets.
Virginia Wesleyan looks to continue
its streak of 22 consecutive winnings seasons with another strong
performance in 2007, but it will have to do so with a new coach at
the helm. Sonny Travis stepped down after 18 seasons at the reins
and has been replaced by longtime assistant, Mike McFarland. The
return of first team All-ODAC selection and 2006 Rookie of the Year,
Brandon Massie, should help continue VWC’s on-field prowess. The
Marlins attacking midfielder was second on the squad with 17 points
on six goals and five assists. He’ll have plenty of help on the
front line with the return of senior striker James Monastra and
fellow forward, sophomore Clay Price. Monastra led the Marlins with
18 points on nine goals while Price chipped in 12 points on five
goals and two assists.
Lynchburg returns to the pitch with
a squad adept at both scoring and stopping goals. The Hornets
finished third in the conference in points (108) and goals scored
(40) while only surrendering 15 tallies throughout the year.
Lynchburg returns a pair of All-ODAC first teamers in senior
midfielder Modou Jobarteh and sophomore forward Maurwyn Bowen.
Bowen and Jobarteh finished 1-2 in scoring on the squad with Bowen
notching 19 points on eight goals and three assists and Jobarteh
adding five goals and two assists for 12 points.
The 2007 campaign kicks off on
Friday, August 31. The ODAC Championship is set for Saturday,
November 3 at a site to be determined by the season’s outcome.
Listed below is the entire 2007 ODAC
Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll. For more information on men’s soccer,
visit the ODAC on the Internet at
www.odaconline.com or any of the competing school websites.
2007 ODAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
(#) Denotes first place votes
|
1. Roanoke |
88 (6) |
|
2. Virginia Wesleyan |
87 (2) |
|
3. Lynchburg |
81 (2) |
|
4. Washington & Lee |
72 |
|
5. Hampden-Sydney |
65 |
|
6. Eastern Mennonite |
45 |
|
7. Randolph-Macon |
38 |
|
8. Guilford |
36 |
|
9. Bridgewater
|
22 |
|
10. Emory & Henry |
16 |
