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Lincoln
Memorial Drops D-2 Title Game
Less than two minutes to go! That little more than a television
commercial break.
That is what was left in regulation in the NCAA Division II men’s
national championship game when Franklin Pierce’s David
Clifton, the #2 goalscorer in the nation, slipped a shot over
the head of Lincoln Memorial goalkeeper Brent Cole for
a 1-0 win with a minute and 45 seconds to go.
Ironically, it was with 1:46 to go in the second overtime in the semifinals,
when Lincoln Memorial scored to beat Montevallo University.
The final was an epic battle between two programs that had never before
won a national championship.
Though disappointed, Lincoln Memorial’s head coach Helio
De’Anna was philosophical in defeat.
“I told our guys, that our sport is so unforgiving,” said
D’Anna. “Franklin Pierce is a great team, but we did what
it took to win the game, and we out-shot them.
“Anyway, that is part of why we love this game. We played our possession
game, and sometimes that wears the other team out. In fact, many times
we are out-shot because of our style, and we win. Our guys did what it
took, and I’m proud of them.”
The “style” of which D’Anna, a native of Brazil, spoke
is not unlike the style played in Brazil. Nine of his players are from
his native country, including senior midfielder Nelson Pizarro,
sophomore defender Felipe Nogueira and sophomore Leandro
Pereira. All were named Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America.
Pereira was named National Division II Player of the Year. He led the
Railsplitters with 23 goals and 55 points. Pizarro scored 15 goals and
Nogueira added 11.
Cole, one of three Tennessee natives on the LMU team, is a senior from
Knoxville. He played in 24 games with 22 starts, posting a 0.92 goals
against average with 84 saves.
The victory that launched the Railsplitters into the title match was the
result of Guilherme Alves, another Brazilian, ending
a long game by finishing a shot as the sun was setting behind the goal.
“It’s the story of our season,” said Coach D’Anna
after that win. “It was a close, hard, dog fight. Our system works.
It might not be the best for some, but for our players it works.”
His words were prophetic, as it turned out with another close, hard, dog
fight in the final.
Lincoln Memorial finished the season 20-4-1. All five of the Railsplitters’
Tennessee Well Represented
Tennessee intercollegiate soccer was well represented in
the NCAA D-II tournament. Tusculum and Carson-Newman squared off in the
men’s first round with C-N winning 3-1. LMU beat Carson Newman 2-1
in the second round of play.
In the NCAA Division II women’s national tournament Tusculum reached
the third round, where the Pioneers lost to Columbus State 2-0. They had
a bye in the first round and downed Lincoln Memorial 3-1 in the second.
LMU had defeated Armstrong State 2-1 in the first round.
ETSU
Picks Calabrese To Coach Men’s Team
Scott Calabrese, former assistant coach
at Clemson University, has been named the first men’s head soccer
coach at East Tennessee State University.
For it’s first season, the ETSU men will have no scholarships,
but in 2008 it will become a scholarship program and will compete in the
Atlantic Sun Conference. East Tennessee has had a women’s team since
1997.
“It is truly an honor to be named the first head men’s soccer
coach in the history of ETSU,” Calabrese said. “The vision
of the university,
the athletic department and the community shows a deep commitment to the
future of ETSU and the region. I am excited to be a part of this growth
and look forward to building a team that brings a sense of pride and tradition
to ETSU, as well as the local soccer community.”
East Tennessee becomes only the second Division I men’s soccer
program in Tennessee. The University of Memphis is the other.
“It is my goal to build the men’s soccer program at ETSU
into a
dominant force in the Atlantic Sun Conference and to compete with the
best teams in the South Region. I am excited and honored for the
opportunity and can’t wait to get to work.”
ETSU has an recently completed soccer facility. Construction was finalized
for on-campus competition and practice fields in October.
A 1994 graduate of Bryant College, Calabrese has spent the past four
seasons helping guide the Clemson Tigers to the top of the national rankings,
including a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 2005 and a No. 1 national ranking
midway through the season.
He also is a former assistant coach at UNC Chapel Hill where he helped
lead the Tar Heels to the NCAA national championship, and he served an
assistant coach with the WUSA Carolina Courage professional team.
Condone
Replaces Sanchez As Tennessee DOC
Manny Sanchez has resigned as Executive
Director and Director of Coaching for the Tennessee State Soccer Association
to become the Director of Coaching for the Wings Soccer Club in Minnesota.
Tennessee Soccer has promoted Tom Condone to the position of State Director
of Coaching from his assistant DOC position. He previously was the women’s
head soccer coach at Tennessee Wesleyan College.
Sanchez, who has 18 years of coaching experience, was the 2002 Tennessee
State Soccer Boys Coach of the Year, and the 2004 NSCAA Southeastern Regional
Boys Coach of the Year.
He was the coach of three Tennessee State championship teams, and a member
of the Region III coaching staff.
Sanchez begins working with the wings on January 2.
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