Monday, August 22, 2005

Contact: Chris Kilcoyne

540.387.9073 / chris@odaconline.com

 

Defending Champion Roanoke Leads the Way in ODAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll

 

SALEM, VA – Defending Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men’s Soccer Champion Roanoke College has been picked to repeat in 2005 in a vote taken of the league’s 10 head coaches.

 

The Maroons received nine of a possible 10 first-place votes and a total of 99 points to take the top spot.  Last season, RC went 7-2 in league play and 12-7-2 overall on the way to its seventh ODAC championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.  The Maroons defeated Lynchburg 2-0 in the league championship and fell to Arcadia (Pa.) 1-0 in overtime of first-round national play.

 

Returning for the Maroons this season are First-Team All-ODAC members, senior forward Chris Keating, senior forward Elliot Stallings and senior defender Donny Smith.  Stallings led the team in scoring last season with nine goals and five assists for 23 points.  Keating added nine goals and two assists for 20 points.  Smith anchored a defense that allowed 1.77 goals-per-game last season and helped keeper Austin Rose garner Rookie-of-the-Year honors.  

 

Virginia Wesleyan finished second in the poll with one first-place vote and 88 points. VWC finished 2004 with a 10-5-3 overall record. The Marlins will welcome back First-Team All-ODAC forward Kelvin Murray who scored four goals and three assists before having his season cut short due to an injury.

 

Lynchburg landed in third-place in the poll with a total of 61 points.  The Hornets finished with a record of 10-8-2 and advanced to the league championship game as the seventh-seed before falling to Roanoke.  First-Team All-ODAC keeper Dan Ruch returns between the pipes for LC after posting a 1.25 goals-against-average and making 78 stops on the season.

 

Washington and Lee garnered 59 points to finish fourth followed by Randolph-Macon (57 points), Guilford (55 points), Bridgewater (50 points), Eastern Mennonite (33 points), Hampden-Sydney (31 points) and Emory and Henry (17 points).

 

The 2005 ODAC Men’s Soccer Tournament is scheduled to begin October 29th with quarterfinal action at the higher seeds home field.  The semifinals and final will be played on November 4th and 5th at the home of the highest remaining seed following quarterfinal action.

 

2005 ODAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll

Place     Team                                     Points (First-Place Votes)

1.             Roanoke                               99 (9)

2.             Virginia Wesleyan               88 (1)

3.             Lynchburg                             61

4.             Washington and Lee          59

5.             Randolph-Macon                 57

6.             Guilford                                  55

7.             Bridgewater                          50

8.             Eastern Mennonite              33

9.             Hampden-Sydney               31

10.          Emory and Henry                 17

 

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