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Soccer Teams Honored by Conference
HOUGHTON, N.Y. November 6, 2009– The 2009 Houghton College men’s and women’s soccer teams were honored for their talent on the field and their character during competition by the American Mideast Conference (AMC). Both teams and several individual players were recognized.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The 2009 Houghton College women’s soccer team and select
individuals were awarded season accolades from the AMC recently,
along with clinching another berth at the NAIA National
Tournament in Decatur, Alabama later this month. In addition,
the AMC awarded the Highlander team the Fair Play Team Award for
their character and sportsmanship displayed on the field – the
fifth time the team has received the award since its inception
in 2001. “I don’t think the team takes this award for granted,”
Coach David Lewis commented. “The foundational emphasis to
worship God through soccer engrains a certain expectation among
our players – a certain norm. Though imperfect in this pursuit,
we nonetheless desire to truly bring honor to God through who we
are and who He is creating us to be.”
Sophomore defender Keeler Topping was picked as the AMC’s Player
of the Year – the latest Houghton player to snag the award for
the eighth consecutive year – and the 11th Highlander to take
the title in the last 12 years. Topping, a native of Pittsford,
N.Y., was an integral part of the aggressive Highlander defense
that only allowed two goals scored from Houghton opponents in
the 18 games of the regular season. “Keeler has played very
consistently,” noted Lewis. “She combines speed with great field
vision. Over my 19 years at Houghton, Keeler is perhaps the most
complete defender we have had.” The Houghton defense returned
only one starter from last year’s defense, and the team posted
16 shutouts in 18 games. Their 0.11 goals against average lead
the NAIA nationally in team defense.
The Houghton team, carrying a record of 14-1-3 overall and 9-1-1
in the AMC, clinched the AMC regular season title to become the
number one seed in the AMC Final
Four Tournament hosted on the
Highlanders’ home field. Five other women were given All-AMC
Team honors. Sophomore defender Samantha Choma (Webster, N.Y.),
junior midfielder Lauren Haggerty (Warren, N.J.), and junior
forward Kaylin Bull (Weare, N.H.) join Topping on the 14-member
All-AMC First Team. Danielle Turner, a sophomore midfielder
(Gorham, N.Y.) and Jennifer Hudson, a freshman forward from
Bloomfield, N.Y. were picked for the All-AMC Third Team. “We
lost seven of our starting 11 players from last year’s team,
including two All-American strikers who went on to play
professionally this summer,” explained Lewis. “We had a lot of
holes to fill offensively and defensively. These ladies have
assumed leadership roles, have worked hard and have done a great
job to continue the quality tradition that is Houghton soccer.”
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The players were not the only members of the team who the AMC acknowledged. Coach Lewis was awarded his ninth Coach of the Year honor. “I appreciate the selection by the conference coaches, and if God can be glorified in some measure through the recognition, then I am grateful,” Lewis commented. For almost two decades, Lewis has been the voice on the sideline compelling his players to not only be great soccer players, but to be exceptional people. He has fostered a group of young women that strive for academic excellence, attractive soccer and active faith.
MEN’S SOCCER
At the beginning of the 2009 Houghton men’s soccer season, Coach
Matthew Webb had a more important purpose in mind than merely
scoring goals. “For as much as I am looking forward to seeing
what we can do on the field,” he remarked, “I am probably most
excited to witness how we will challenge each other to become
stronger athletes, students and more importantly, Christian
young men.”
Perhaps the obvious display of their character was evidenced when the Houghton men were awarded the Fair Play Award from the American Mideast Conference (AMC) for the seventh time in eight years. “It is quite a testament of the type of young men they are and how they play the game,” Coach Matthew Webb commented. “They have continued to represent God and Houghton in a positive way, and other coaches continue to recognize it.”
The action on the field has also been exciting this year. The team carries a record of 9-7-2 overall, and 6-2-1 in the AMC, sitting as the third seed in the AMC tournament. They will face off against second seeded Notre Dame (Ohio) on Friday, November 13, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. at Roberts Wesleyan College.
Individual Highlanders were honored for their performance
including All-AMC First Team members Justin Farnsworth, a senior
defender from Spencerport, N.Y., and freshman forward Daniel
Smith from Nairobi, Kenya. Two senior midfielders, Daniel
Brubaker (Shippensburg, Pa.) and Jonathan Brooks (Ottawa,
Ontario), were awarded All-AMC Second Team Honors, while junior
defender Chris Davis (Cedar Park, Texas) and Steve Grudda, a
senior midfielder from Albion, Maine, were presented with
honorable mention recognition.
For the fifth time in the past seven years, a Houghton freshman received the AMC Freshman of the Year Award. Forward Daniel Smith, also a first team pick, scored nine goals on the season, and tallied four assists in 15 games played, totaling a team high 46 points in his first year as a Highlander. “I really feel honored to be chosen for the award,” Smith commented. “For me, the award is a testimony of God’s goodness to me and how far he has brought me along. He has given me these skills, and I just hope I can glorify Him by continuing to work my hardest every day.”
Coach Webb was looking forward to a successful and competitive season. “We want to be in a position to contend for the conference championship and make it to the national tournament,” Webb noted in the preseason. “But ultimately, we want to play competitive soccer with integrity.” In the case of the Highlander men’s soccer team, they have met their goals – on and off the field.
