[Men's Soccer] Eight Men's Soccer Falcons Net All-KCAC Honor
WICHITA, Kan. – Eight Friends University Men's Soccer Falcons have received All-KCAC recognition, highlighted by first-team selection Juan Zamora (JR/LaBelle, Florida). Marcos Gomes (SR/Bello Horizonte, Brazil) and Mads Mortensen (SO/Floro, Norway) were second-team picks, while Christian Raffinengo (FR/Wichita, Kan. ), Sergio Ycaza (FR/Saint Petersburg, Florida), Eric Carter (SO/Gainesville, Fla. ), Kai Yamazaki (FR/Matsumoto, Japan) and Jasper McLeod (SR/Princes Town, Trinidad &Tobago ) earned honorable-mention honors.
Last season's KCAC Newcomer of the Year, Zamora picked up where he left off with a team-high 17 goals along with three assists. He finished second in the league in both goals and points per game (2.18). Zamora also flashed a clutch gene, ranking tops in the KCAC and sixth in the NAIA with five game-winning goals on the season.
Gomes recorded five goals and three assists this season, with Mortensen, last season's KCAC Freshman of the Year, scoring one goal and delivering a pair of assists while playing his normal vital role in the Falcons' defensive efforts.
Raffinengo was second on the Falcons in goals (six), game-winning goals (three) and points (14) as a freshman this season.
Ycaza appeared in seven games and scored twice as a freshman midfielder, including the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal in the Falcons' 3-1 victory over Southwestern College at Stryker Complex (Mar. 12).
Carter and Yamazaki each contributed heavily as key defensive players to the Falcons finishing tied for fourth in the KCAC with five shutouts on the season. Carter was twice named KCAC Defensive Player of the Week this season for his stellar performance defensively, with Yamazaki giving the Falcons high level defensive play during his freshman campaign.
McLeod made an immediate impact in the net for the Falcons as a senior transfer, ranking third in the league in goals-against-average (1.10) that helped him earn a KCAC Defensive Player of the Week nod back in March.
"It is nice to have our players get recognized by the conference," said Friends men's soccer head coach Joe Dincecco. "We believe these individual awards are a result of the team's work during the season."
The Falcons enjoyed a nine-match unbeaten streak and were victorious in 12 of 14 matches before falling in the KCAC semifinal round (Apr. 14) to top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan University to wrap up the season at 12-4-1 overall.