Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Mountaineers Finish in National Rankings
December 11, 2018 04:07 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University men's soccer team concluded the 2018 season ranked in the top 25 in each of the major poll's final rankings, coming in as high as No. 17 by Soccer America.
The Mountaineers also finished No. 22 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll, No. 23 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com top 25 and No. 24 in the College Soccer News rankings. In the final RPI, WVU was No. 18, while the Mid-American Conference was ranked No. 3 in the conference RPI. West Virginia has been ranked in 12 of coach Marlon LeBlanc's 13 seasons.
WVU finished the year with a 14-7-0 record and a perfect 5-0-0 mark in MAC play to win the league's regular-season title. The Mountaineers were one of two teams nationally to go unbeaten and untied in conference play. The 14 wins were West Virginia's most since 2007 and one shy of the program record of 15, set in 2006.
For the 13th time in program history, the Mountaineers earned an NCAA Championship berth and advanced to the second round. The NCAA appearance was the fifth in LeBlanc's tenure, while WVU reached the second round for the seventh time and sixth since 2005.
Along with competing in the No. 3-ranked conference, the Mountaineers faced five teams that finished the year in the top 25, including NCAA champion Maryland and Akron, the national runner-up.
In the NCAA statistical rankings, WVU led the MAC in nearly every category. West Virginia finished No. 3 in the country in assists per game (2.43), No. 5 in total assists (51), No. 7 in total points (135), No. 10 in points per game (6.43) and total goals (42), No. 12 in fewest fouls per game (9.62), No. 13 in shot accuracy (.496) and No. 15 in scoring offense (2.00). The Mountaineers also paced the league in save percentage (.769) and saves per game (4.29).
Individually, senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc ranked No. 7 nationally with 0.56 assists per game and 10 total assists, No. 11 with five game-winning goals, No. 27 in points per game (1.44) and No. 29 in total points (26). Junior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino ranked No. 17 in the country in shot accuracy (.596), and junior defender Albert Andres-Llop was No. 29 with eight assists.
Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky finished No. 11 in the country in total saves (86) and No. 16 in minutes played (1,891:37), while he led the conference in save percentage (.761) and saves per game (4.10).
As a team, the Mountaineers' 51 assists and 129 shots on goal both set program records, while the 21 matches played and 135 total points are tied for third-most.
Piatczyc's five game-winning goals tied a WVU single-season record, his 0.56 assists per game rank No. 5 all-time and his 10 game-winning points and 10 assists are both tied for No. 6 in team history. Andres-Llop's eight assists rank No. 10 all-time in the WVU single-season record books.
Tekesky's 14 wins is tied for No. 2 in a single season in program history, his 21 starts and matches played are both tied for No. 3 and his 1,891:37 minutes are No. 5 all-time.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Mountaineers also finished No. 22 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll, No. 23 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com top 25 and No. 24 in the College Soccer News rankings. In the final RPI, WVU was No. 18, while the Mid-American Conference was ranked No. 3 in the conference RPI. West Virginia has been ranked in 12 of coach Marlon LeBlanc's 13 seasons.
WVU finished the year with a 14-7-0 record and a perfect 5-0-0 mark in MAC play to win the league's regular-season title. The Mountaineers were one of two teams nationally to go unbeaten and untied in conference play. The 14 wins were West Virginia's most since 2007 and one shy of the program record of 15, set in 2006.
For the 13th time in program history, the Mountaineers earned an NCAA Championship berth and advanced to the second round. The NCAA appearance was the fifth in LeBlanc's tenure, while WVU reached the second round for the seventh time and sixth since 2005.
Along with competing in the No. 3-ranked conference, the Mountaineers faced five teams that finished the year in the top 25, including NCAA champion Maryland and Akron, the national runner-up.
In the NCAA statistical rankings, WVU led the MAC in nearly every category. West Virginia finished No. 3 in the country in assists per game (2.43), No. 5 in total assists (51), No. 7 in total points (135), No. 10 in points per game (6.43) and total goals (42), No. 12 in fewest fouls per game (9.62), No. 13 in shot accuracy (.496) and No. 15 in scoring offense (2.00). The Mountaineers also paced the league in save percentage (.769) and saves per game (4.29).
Individually, senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc ranked No. 7 nationally with 0.56 assists per game and 10 total assists, No. 11 with five game-winning goals, No. 27 in points per game (1.44) and No. 29 in total points (26). Junior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino ranked No. 17 in the country in shot accuracy (.596), and junior defender Albert Andres-Llop was No. 29 with eight assists.
Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky finished No. 11 in the country in total saves (86) and No. 16 in minutes played (1,891:37), while he led the conference in save percentage (.761) and saves per game (4.10).
As a team, the Mountaineers' 51 assists and 129 shots on goal both set program records, while the 21 matches played and 135 total points are tied for third-most.
Piatczyc's five game-winning goals tied a WVU single-season record, his 0.56 assists per game rank No. 5 all-time and his 10 game-winning points and 10 assists are both tied for No. 6 in team history. Andres-Llop's eight assists rank No. 10 all-time in the WVU single-season record books.
Tekesky's 14 wins is tied for No. 2 in a single season in program history, his 21 starts and matches played are both tied for No. 3 and his 1,891:37 minutes are No. 5 all-time.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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