Bone, Opara Named Soccer America First Team MVPs
12/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 18, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Juniors Corben Bone and Ike Opara were named first team MVPs by Soccer America, while freshmen Anthony Arena and Andy Lubahn were on Soccer America's All-Freshmen first team.
Bone and Opara each earned their fourth first team All-America selection of 2009. Lubahn was selected to his second all-freshman team, while Arena made his first all-rookie squad.
A finalist for the 2009 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, Bone finished second in the ACC with 13 assists and also added three goals, including a goal in the Deacs' 2-1 overtime loss to Virginia in the NCAA semifinals. He finished the season ranked 13th nationally in assists per game. The Plano, Texas, native ranks second in school history in career assists with 38 helpers and is ninth in school annals with 68 points.
The 2009 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Opara was a part of six Wake Forest shutouts in 2009 and contributed to 20 clean sheets over the past two seasons. A native of Durham, N.C., Opara scored three goals and added two assists during his junior year. Opara was also a member of the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup held earlier this year in Egypt.
One of the top freshmen in the country, Lubahn tied the Wake Forest record for goals scored by a freshman with 10 tallies during the 2009 season. Of his 10 goals, three of them were game-winners. The Erie, Pa., native was selected to the All-ACC Freshman Team and was also named to the ACC All-Tournament Team after scoring two goals in Wake's 3-0 win against Clemson in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.
A freshman defender from Kenmore, Wash., Arena played and started all 24 games for Wake Forest during his freshman season. Along with Lubahn, he set a new school record for games started by a freshman. Arena scored three goals, which were all game winners, during his rookie season. He also helped the Wake Forest defense to 10 shutouts during the season.
Wake Forest and Akron were the only two schools to have multiple players selected to the MVP First Team and the All-Freshman First Team.
