Multiple Deacons Honored By Top Drawer Soccer
11/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 15, 2005
GREENWOOD, Ind. - The Wake Forest men's soccer team was well recognized on Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Year. Junior midfielder Ryan Solle was the lone Demon Deacon selected to the first team, but sophomore defenders Pat Phelan and Julian Valentin each earned second team, while senior forward Justin Moose was awarded third team and sophomore goalkeeper Brian Edwards was named to the fourth team. Freshman forward Michael Lahoud was also honored by being selected to the All-Rookie squad.
Solle (Jr., Broadway, N.C.) set a new school record for assists in a single-season with 12 -- besting the previous school record of 10. Solle not only leads the Demon Deacons and the ACC, but also ranks second nationally in assists. The co-captain recorded three assists in one match twice this season. With 22 career assists, Solle is tied for fifth all-time in Demon Deacon history. He was also named All-ACC second team.
Phelan (So., Enfield, Conn.) and Valentin (So., Lancaster, Pa.) each played and started 19 games for the Deacons in the back. The sophomore tandem have helped Wake Forest shutout eight opponents in 2005 and register a 0.93 goals against average. The duo has been instrumental as Wake Forest has limited its opponents to an average of eight shots a match, just under four of which have been on goal. Each were named to the ACC All-Freshman team and were Top Drawer Soccer Freshman All-Americans in 2004.
Moose (Sr., Statesville, N.C.) was also a first team All-ACC selection. He leads the team in points with 19 this season on five goals and nine assists. The All-American is the school's all-time leader in assists with 29 and ranks eighth all-time in scoring with 61 points (16 goals and 29 assists). Earlier this season, Moose tied an ACC record with four assists in one match and is the only player in ACC history to record the feat in a single half. Moose, who was a NSCAA first team All-American in 2004, is a 2005 Hermann Trophy semifinalist.
Edwards (So., Charlotte, N.C.) has registered eight shutouts and a 0.94 goals against average in 2005. The netminder has recorded 55 saves and logged 1823:42 between the pipes. Edwards has 17 shutouts the past two years and already ranks in the top five in school history with 3,702 career minutes played (5th) and a 0.95 career goals against average (2nd).
Lahoud (Fr., Reston, Va.) is tied for second on the team with 17 points on six goals and five assists. The forward has started all 20 matches for the Deacons -- one of just five players to do so this season. Lahoud was also named to the ACC All-Freshman team.
Wake Forest returns to action Friday, Nov. 18 in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. The Demon Deacons will face South Carolina at Spry Stadium and kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. The Demon Deacons have faced the Gamecocks 26 times in school history and the series is tied, 11-11-4. The two met in the second round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament and South Carolina was victorious, 5-1. Wake Forest has captured three of the past four meetings with the Gamecocks, including earlier this season at the Carolina/Nike Classic. The Deacs defeated the South Carolina, 3-0.
- WakeForestSports.com -
