Oakland’s Shawn Claud Lawson, shown here with the ball, was named to the Horizon League’s Best XI. Pit file photo
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]akland men’s soccer placed three players on the Horizon League’s All-League First Team, and coach Eric Pogue captured Coach of the Year honors a day before his team learned their opponent for the conference tournament semifinals.
Junior midfielders Matt Dudley and Shawn Claud Lawson, as well as senior forward Joey Tinnion placed in the best XI, representing a side that went undefeated in just its second season in the conference, as well as earning the top seed in this year’s postseason tourney.
The No. 1 Golden Grizzlies, who host the tournament’s semifinals and final, will face No. 4 Cleveland State on Thursday night. After a scoreless affair through 110 minutes of regular and extra time with No. 5 Valparaiso, the Vikings emerged victorious in penalty kicks, 4-3, after seven rounds from the spot on Monday night.
In the other quarterfinal matchup, sophomore midfielder Eric Lynch proved why he was named Horizon League Player of the Year, scoring the lone goal for No. 3 Wright State in a win over No. 6 Milwaukee. Lynch led not just the Horizon League, but all of NCAA Division I with his 12 assists this season.
The victory means that the Raiders will face Freshman of the Year Spiro Pliakos and No. 2 Detroit on Thursday afternoon in the other semifinal meeting. The freshman forward was one of two Titans named to the first team, joining junior goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher, who led the Horizon with 69 saves and a .812 save percentage.
Both Oakland and Detroit defeated the opposing teams they’ll face in the semifinals during regular season meetings earlier this year.
2014 Men’s Soccer Awards
Player of the Year: Eric Lynch, Wright State
Freshman of the Year: Spiro Pliakos, Detroit
Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Lynch, Wright State
Defensive Player of the Year: Nathan Steinwascher, Detroit
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nathan Steinwascher, Detroit
Coach of the Year: Eric Pogue, Oakland
First Team All-League
Spiro Pliakos, Detroit (Fr., F)
Joey Tinnion, Oakland (Sr., F)
Peguy Ngatcha, Wright State (So., F)
Laurie Bell, Milwaukee (Sr., MF)
Matt Dudley, Oakland (Jr., MF)
Shawn Claud Lawson, Oakland (Jr., MF)
Eric Lynch, Wright State (So., MF)
Luke Goodnetter, Milwaukee (Sr., D)
Thomas Villamil, UIC (Jr., D)
Emeka Ononye, Wright State (Sr., D)
Nathan Steinwascher, Detroit (Jr., GK)
Second Team All-League
Sergio Manesio, Cleveland State (So., F)
Lawrence Talery, Green Bay (Sr., F)
Jorge Alvarez, UIC (Jr., F)
Jesus Torres, UIC (Sr., F)
Matt Ybarra, Detroit (Sr., MF)
Declan Rodriguez, Milwaukee (Jr., MF)
Zev Taublieb, Valparaiso (Sr., MF)
Trevor Flynn, Detroit (Sr., D)
Cody Archibald, Oakland (Sr., D)
Omar Lawrence, Valparaiso (So., D)
Wes Mink, Oakland (Fr., GK)
All-Freshman Team
Rashad Hyacenth, Belmont (F)
Spiro Pliakos, Detroit (F)
Reid Stevenson, Milwaukee (F)
Petter Ingebrigtsen, Milwaukee (F)
Alec Nagucki, Cleveland State (MF)
Sidney McClain, Green Bay (MF)
Nick Moon, Milwaukee (MF)
Jose Fuentes, UIC (MF)
Ramone Howell, Valparaiso (MF)
Kevin Blackwood, Cleveland State (D)
Austin Polster, Wright State (D)
Wes Mink, Oakland (GK)
