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August 24, 2012
The Spartans, who were picked to finish third in the SoCon preseason poll, return 19 letterwinners from last season's team and welcome in 12 newcomers. UNCG is led by three preseason All-SoCon selections in senior forward Hakan Ilhan (Stuttgart, Germany/University of Stuttgart), fifth-year senior goalkeeper Peyton Ford (Jamestown, N.C./Southwest Guilford) and junior defender Aaron Reifschneider (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland).
Ilhan led the Spartans and was second in the SoCon in scoring with 25 points on his way to First Team All-league accolades. He scored a team-high 10 goals, which ranked second in the SoCon, while handing out two assists. He enters the 2012 season with 56 career points, on the strength of 22 goals and 12 assists.
Ford ranks second all-time in UNCG history with 18 shutouts on his way to 25 career victories. He picked up Second Team All-SoCon honors last year after ranking second in the league with a 0.70 goals against average. He led the league in conference play with a miniscule 0.14 goals against average allowing only one tally against in 650 minutes of play while posting six shutouts in seven games. Reifschneider helps anchor the backline after missing the final eight games of the season last fall.
UNCW posted a 4-12-2 record last fall and a 2-8-1 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Seahawks dropped a pair of rigorous exhibition games 3-1 to Charlotte and NC State. UNCW by Thomas Drive who scored eight points last year to finish second on the team scoring three goals and handing out two assists. The Seahawks will have to replace a goalkeeper this year after Brandon Miller played every minute last fall as a senior.
Live stats for the game can be accessed via UNCW online at www.uncgspartans.com. Also, follow the action on Twitter @uncgsports.
- UNCG -
Men's Soccer Opens 2012 Season At UNCW
2012 UNCG Men's Soccer Team Photo
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The reigning Southern Conference regular season champion UNCG men's soccer team opens the 2012 regular season Friday night as it travels down I-40 for a battle with instate foe UNCW. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCW Soccer Stadium.
Friday's game marks the 13th meeting all-time between the Spartans and the Seahawks with UNCG trailing the series by a slim 5-6-1 margin. The two teams battled to a scoreless tie last year in Greensboro as the evenly matched game saw the Spartans hold a 15-14 edge in shots.
The Spartans, who were picked to finish third in the SoCon preseason poll, return 19 letterwinners from last season's team and welcome in 12 newcomers. UNCG is led by three preseason All-SoCon selections in senior forward Hakan Ilhan (Stuttgart, Germany/University of Stuttgart), fifth-year senior goalkeeper Peyton Ford (Jamestown, N.C./Southwest Guilford) and junior defender Aaron Reifschneider (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland).
Ilhan led the Spartans and was second in the SoCon in scoring with 25 points on his way to First Team All-league accolades. He scored a team-high 10 goals, which ranked second in the SoCon, while handing out two assists. He enters the 2012 season with 56 career points, on the strength of 22 goals and 12 assists.
Ford ranks second all-time in UNCG history with 18 shutouts on his way to 25 career victories. He picked up Second Team All-SoCon honors last year after ranking second in the league with a 0.70 goals against average. He led the league in conference play with a miniscule 0.14 goals against average allowing only one tally against in 650 minutes of play while posting six shutouts in seven games. Reifschneider helps anchor the backline after missing the final eight games of the season last fall.
UNCW posted a 4-12-2 record last fall and a 2-8-1 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Seahawks dropped a pair of rigorous exhibition games 3-1 to Charlotte and NC State. UNCW by Thomas Drive who scored eight points last year to finish second on the team scoring three goals and handing out two assists. The Seahawks will have to replace a goalkeeper this year after Brandon Miller played every minute last fall as a senior.
Live stats for the game can be accessed via UNCW online at www.uncgspartans.com. Also, follow the action on Twitter @uncgsports.
- UNCG -
