FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2006
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - One week after "receiving votes" for the first time in program history, the Monmouth University men's soccer team earned a No. 15 national ranking in this week's NSCAA/adidas Division I poll, on Tuesday afternoon. The national ranking is the first in program history for the Blue and White.
Monmouth (11-3-2, 6-0-1 NEC), which extended its conference unbeaten streak to 17 matches after its 2-0 week, has won four consecutive matches, and have been triumphant in five straight road contests.
The Hawks stand in a tie with Fairleigh Dickinson atop the Northeast Conference standings with similar 6-0-1 records and 19 points. The two schools face off on Friday afternoon on The Great Lawn at 3 p.m.
Senior
Steven Holloway (Hamilton, New Zealand/Hamilton), who scored two more goals this week to increase his team lead to 15 scores, currently ranks third in the nation in goals per game (1.0) and fifth in the country in points per game (2.27). Holloway is joined by junior
Tom Gray (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South), who was named the Brine/NEC Player of the Week and BigAppleSoccer.com Player of the Week, while also being named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.
Gray, who played a role in five of Monmouth's six goals on the week tied a school record and established an NEC single-game season high with four assists against the Blackbirds. In the win over the Terriers, it was Gray who sent the ball into the box that was eventually misplayed by the St. Francis keeper in the 95th minute, resulting in an own goal.
The forward leads the NEC with a career-best 12 assists and is second with 22 points. He also stands third in the country in assists per game (0.75). In his career, Gray has totaled 19 assists in 34 career games at Monmouth.
Monmouth's junior goalkeeper
Daniel Schenkel (Campo Verde, Brazil) ranks eighth in the NCAA in goals against average, registering a 0.54 GAA, and 12th with his .855 save percentage. The Hawks, who have surrendered nine scores on the season, have posted nine shutouts, and currently rank sixth in the country in team goals against average (0.53).
Monmouth's week also propelled the Blue and White to the top of the North Atlantic Regional Poll, flip-flopping with former top-seeded Fairfield, which currently ranks 24th in the country, according to the NSCAA.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday with a home NEC contest versus FDU at 3 p.m., on The Great Lawn.
-monmouth.edu/athletics-
