BOSTON – Back from its trip abroad, the Suffolk men's soccer team has set its sights on 2018 and the Rams have been picked to finish fifth in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference's (GNAC) Preseason Poll, the conference announced Tuesday morning.
Suffolk collected 94 points in a vote by the league's 12 head coaches to round out the top five. Two-time reigning conference champion Saint Joseph's (Maine), who debuted in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll at No. 25, is selected to threepeat as the Monks garnered 11 of the possible 12 first-place votes for 142 points. Johnson & Wales, last season's runner-up, meanwhile, picked up all, but one second-place nod to finish second with 131. Norwich (115), who garnered one first-place vote, took third and Regis (101) came in seven ahead of Suffolk for fourth.
The Rams have a wealth of experience on roster driven by its offensive numbers as 97.4 (37-38) percent of the scored goals are back on the pitch paced by 2017 second-team selection Christian Restrepo (9g, 6a). Also back in the lineup will be third-team honorees from last season junior James Fisher (6g, 2a) and senior Jordan Casey (3g, 3a).
Suffolk will hit the road for the first game of the season when it visits Mass. Maritime, Saturday, Sept. 1 for a 12 p.m. first-kick.
| 2018 GNAC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES' POLL | ||||||
| SCHOOL 1. St. Joseph's (Maine) 2. Johnson & Wales 3. Norwich 4. Regis 5. Suffolk 6. Colby Sawyer 7. Emmanuel 8. Albertus Magnus 9. Anna Maria 10. Rivier 11. Lasell 12. St. Joseph (Conn.) |
POINTS (FPV) |
2017 OVERALL 19-0-2 15-2-2 11-4-5 10-8-1 9-7-1 11-7-0 3-9-7 7-10-1 2-14-1 2-14-1 3-15-0 - - - - |
2017 GNAC RECORD 9-0-1 8-1-1 6-0-4 5-4-1 4-5-1 NA 3-2-5 4-5-1 1-9-0 0-9-1 2-8-0 - - - - |
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