BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Sophomore defender
Kai Forsyth and sophomore goalkeeper
Keegan Grant headlined the Concord University men's soccer team All-Mountain East Conference selections with the league office announcing the year-end awards Friday afternoon.
Forsyth and Grant were voted All-MEC First Team. Junior forward
Fabian Amhof was named All-MEC Second Team while junior midfielder
Elvis Gomez was All-MEC Honorable Mention.
Forsyth, a native of Derby, England, engineered one of the best defensive units in the conference this fall. The Mountain Lions surrendered just 19 goals in 18 regular-season game. CU ranked third in the MEC in goals allowed per game (1.06). Forsyth and his backline mates ranked top 50 nationally and 10
th in Super Region One in goals-against average (1.06). Concord's captain produced one goal during the season as he scored in early September at West Liberty. From his center back position, Forsyth ranked fourth on the team in total shots taken with 17. He is the first CU defender to earn all-conference since 2013.
As the final line of defense, Grant stopped 92 shots during the regular season to lead the MEC—the next closest was 69. The Perth, Australia native racked up seven shutouts and posted the MEC's third-best goals-against average of 0.98. Grant's save total was 35
th nationally during the season and his seven shutouts rank in a lengthy tie for fifth in Division II. Among the individual season highlights for Grant was making a career-best 12 saves in a 0-0 road draw against Notre Dame October 1. He turned away nine shots versus West Liberty October 18 in a 1-0 win, and finished the season with seven more saves in a 1-1 draw against NDC at home
Amhof, a native of Hitzkrirch, Switzerland, was the co-leader for the Mountain Lions in goals this fall as he tallied six goals to go with five assists, second on the team. Two of the six goals for Amhof were game winners. He buried the game-winning score versus Davis & Elkins in a crucial 1-0 win and recorded the game-winning goal versus Frostburg State. Amhof also scored against Charleston this season, and UC allowed just six goals during the regular season.
A pivotal bench piece for Concord's success this season, Gomez found the back of the net three times. The Houston, Texas native scored versus Salem to open the season in a 3-0 victory, and added the game-winning goal versus West Liberty in a 1-0 win. He also scored in non-conference action at Tusculum October 25. Gomez started just one game for the Mountain Lions this fall.
The MEC Offensive Player of the Year was West Virginia Wesleyan's Sinasi Emre Deniz. Charleston goalkeeper Marc Torrado received MEC Defensive Player of the Year. UC also picked up MEC Freshman of the Year (Jose Suarez Monaco) and MEC Coach of the Year (Daniel Smee).
CU hosts West Virginia Wesleyan in the MEC Quarterfinals 4:00 p.m. Sunday at the YMCA Cline Complex in Beckley, West Virginia.
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