College Men’s Soccer News – Guilford Picked Seventh in Preseason ODAC Poll

FOREST, Va. – Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men’s soccer coaches picked Guilford College seventh in their preseason poll released Tuesday. The Quakers received 57 points, 11 shy of sixth-place Hampden-Sydney College and two ahead of eighth-place Bridgewater College in the 12-team rankings. Defending league champion Virginia Wesleyan College earned eight first-place votes and the poll’s top spot with 115 points.

Eighth-year head coach Jeff Bateson returns six starters among 17 letterwinners from last year’s 6-9-3 unit that went 3-6-2 in the league. Last year’s top scorer, forward Robert Sandidge, returns for his senior campaign after pacing the Quakers with 12 points on five goals and two assists in 2013. Sophomores Jonny Goffredi and Christian Torres both had seven points on three goals and an assist in their rookie seasons, which stood second on the team.

With the graduation of two-year starter Michael MacVane ’14, senior Marko Mandalinic is the Quakers’ most experienced starting goalkeeper. Mandalinic has appeared in 18 games with 13 starts through three seasons and boasts a 1.91 goals against average and a .714 saves percentage. Junior Jake Elsey anchors Guilford’s back line.

Guilford kicks off the 2014 season Saturday (Aug. 30) with a 7:00 p.m. home match versus Greensboro College on Appenzeller Field in the Armfield Athletic Center.

2014 ODAC MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes first place votes

1. Virginia Wesleyan (8)        115 pts.
2. Lynchburg                    105 pts.
3. Roanoke (2)                   98 pts.
4. Randolph (1)                  93 pts.
5. Washington and Lee (1)        91 pts.
6. Hampden-Sydney                68 pts.
7. Guilford                      57 pts.
8. Bridgewater                   55 pts.
9. Eastern Mennonite             39 pts.
10. Randolph-Macon               38 pts.
11. Emory & Henry                17 pts.
12. Shenandoah                   16 pts.