Four Pioneers tabbed to All-SAC Men's Soccer Team

Four Pioneers tabbed to All-SAC Men's Soccer Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Four Tusculum College student-athletes have been named to the 2015 All-South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Team announced league officials Wednesday.

Dominic McLaren earned All-SAC second team recognition and the trio of Andreas Kvam, Guillermo Lazcano and Jorge Alvarez received honorable mention accolades.

McLaren, a freshman from Bearsden, Scotland, started in 16 matches while scoring two goals, including the match-winner in Tusculum's season-opening victory at King University. His second goal was TC's lone score in Tuesday's SAC quarterfinal draw at No. 3 seed Lincoln Memorial University. He logged 1,471 minutes on the pitch this season, which are the third-most on the team, including every minute in his last four outings.

Lazcano, a junior defender from Aviles, Spain, garners his second All-SAC honor of his career. The 2014 All-SAC and Daktronics All-Southeast Region second team selection recorded two goals and three assists for his seven total points. He assisted on match-winning goals against Brevard (Oct. 7) and No. 19 Wingate University (Oct. 30). He also tallied an assist on TC's regular-season draw against LMU (Sep. 23). Lazcano finished the year with 1,460 minutes for the fourth most played this season. Lazcano was recognized for his efforts in the classroom as he was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 Men's Soccer first team.

Alvarez, a junior goalkeeper from Gijón, Spain, led the league in save percentage (.806), while his six shutouts were second in the SAC and tied for fifth in TC history. He posted clean-sheets against King, Queens University of Charlotte, Barton College, Newberry College, Brevard College and Wingate.

The two-time All-SAC keeper recorded 75 saves this season, including a season-high eight stops at Queens and seven at Mars Hill University. Alvarez's 0.98 career goals against average is the lowest in school history. He is also fourth in program history with 10 career shutouts, while his 116 career saves are ninth in the TC record book.

This season, Alvarez, Lazcano and McLaren anchored Tusculum's back line defense that posted a 1.07 goals against average, including six shutouts.

Kvam, a sophomore forward from Valderoey, Norway, led the Pioneers in scoring with his five goals and 12 total points. The 2014 SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player had his best match of the season as he posted two goals and two assists in TC's come-from-behind win at Mars Hill. That followed his golden goal in TC's 2-1 overtime win at Lenoir-Rhyne. For his efforts, he was named the SAC and Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week. He also notched the match-winner at Queens.

Tusculum (9-6-2) ended its season on Tuesday as the Pioneers surrendered an equalizing goal with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation in the SAC quarterfinal at LMU. TC would be eliminated as LMU won the penalty kick shootout, 5-3.

- TC -

2015 All-South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Team
First Team
F - Jon Ander, Wingate
F - Tom Read, Carson-Newman
F - Corey Brown, Queens
F - Andre Carle, Anderson
MF - Aksel Juul, Wingate
MF - Shaun Gadsby, Wingate
MF - Leonardo da Silva, Lincoln Memorial
MF - Thibault Mathorez, Carson-Newman
D - Alex Nelson, Wingate
D - Nathaniel Johnson, Lincoln Memorial
D - James Ward, Carson-Newman
D - Sindre Welo, Carson-Newman
GK - Pablo Jara, Wingate

Second Team
F - Ismael Noumansana, Lenoir-Rhyne
F - Marius Staalby, Carson-Newman
F - Danilo da Silva, Lincoln Memorial
F - Charlie Machell, Wingate
MF - Leon Mueller-Wiesen, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF - Callum Ross, Wingate
MF - Erik Dahlbeck, Anderson
MF - Henrique Rezek, Lincoln Memorial
D - Damian Gaona, Wingate
D - Christian McArthur, Mars Hill
D - Dominic McLaren, Tusculum
D - Ryo Ogawa, Anderson
GK - Kavi Luchowa, Carson-Newman

Honorable Mention
F - Kenny Bonilla, Catawba
F - Andreas Kvam, Tusculum
F - Bruno Andrade, Carson-Newman
F - Ryan McPhillips, Brevard
MF - Marc-Kevin Schwenk, Queens
MF - Amine Merdjett, Mars Hill
MF - Polymnios Avgousti, Carson-Newman
MF - Lucas Siqueira, Carson-Newman
D - Guillermo Lazcano, Tusculum
D - Austin Huddy, Queens
D - Tom Seery, Lenoir-Rhyne
D - Dejean Charlton, Lenoir-Rhyne
GK - Jorge Alvarez, Tusculum
GK - Heath Turner, Brevard

SAC Player of the Year: Jon Ander, Wingate
SAC Freshman of the Year: Pablo Jara, Wingate
SAC Coach of the Year: Richard Moodie, Carson-Newman
SAC Fair Play Award: Wingate