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LMU SOCCER NEWS |
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LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION Sports Release August 20, 2007 Railsplitters Ranked #5 In NSCAA Preseason Poll HARROGATE, TN – On the heels of last season’s Appalachian Region title, an Elite-8 victory and a trip to the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Final Four, the Lincoln Memorial University men’s soccer team has received a #5 preseason ranking from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The Railsplitters lost three starters following last season’s record setting performance. Four-year letter winner Drew Payne, four-year letter winner and starter Jon Williams who will serve as graduate assistant coach this season, starter Adriano de Moraes who will also be a graduate assistant this season and four-year starter and All-Region and All-American performer Diogo Silvy. Losing three of eleven starters isn’t usually a concern to most teams as Williams, de Moraes and Silvy weren’t your average starters. Each possessed traits that are unique and all were vital in the Railsplitters success a year ago. Williams played with the heart of a lion. de Moraes had great skill combined with tremendous leadership and Silvy had the entire package. Still, an extremely strong nucleus returns for the 2007 season. At the top will be last season’s leading scorer Leandro Pereira (22 goals, 9 assists), and Leonardo Barros (7 goals, 10 assists) who will share time at the midfield and forward positions. Also returning at forward will be senior Nelson Pizzaro (5 goals, 8 assists). Other key players returning will be defenders Felipe Nogueira, Pedro Canineu, Jordan Green and Vitor Souza. Midfielders Claudio Rico, Marcelo Galafassi. LMU Head Coach Helio D’Anna had another stellar recruiting year. Several players from the Atlanta area including Jemal Talore, Jemele Juber, a couple of Tennessee natives, Adam Huber and Jimmy Vandenhurk, Canadian Greg Lewandowski, Birmingham, England newcomer Aaron McKenna and Brazilian Hudson Pereira have the Railsplitters ready to defend their championships from a year ago. This Friday afternoon the Railsplitters will open the 2007 schedule when they play host to the University of Charleston from West Virginia. The match will get underway on the Les Gibbs field at 4:00 p.m. on the LMU campus. -LMU- For additional comments please contact, |