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EOU Men's Soccer
Yasmin Mookerdum

Men's Soccer Iain Dexter, EOU Sports Information Director

2019 EOU Men’s Soccer: Season Preview

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Coming off the program's first postseason appearance, expectations are even higher for the Eastern Oregon men's soccer team entering 2019.
 
With second year head coach Zach Millsat the helm, along with his impressive assistant staff, the Mountaineers hope that 2019 is a groundbreaking year for the program.
 
EOU went 11-4-4 a year ago, including an 8-2-3 mark in the CCC, and earned the No. 4-seed in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship. There, the Mounties defeated Providence 2-0 in the quarterfinals for the program's first postseason win.
 
Already with a game under their belt, a 3-2 overtime win at NCAA Division III Whitworth, the Blue and Gold start up their NAIA slate of matchups on Friday against Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) at home at 4 p.m.
 
The team has one of its best returning classes, combined with perhaps its best recruiting class, full of top-level players from North America and abroad.
 
Forwards
Senior Carlos Solorio, an All-CCC First Team selection last year, returns after leading the team with 12 goals and 28 points. The dynamic senior spent the offseason in New Jersey playing for the Ocean City Nor'Easters, a USL 2 team. EOU also brings back sophomore Connor Young, who burst onto the scene with seven goals as a freshman, earning All-CCC Second Team. Senior Elvis Pavon, a first team honoree in 2016, is back after an injury cut his 2018 campaign short. EOU also has plenty of depth up front with seniors Alex Gutierrez and Micah Hill back in the rotation.
 
Midfielders
The midfield will look very different for EOU, a position that the Mountaineers heavily recruited. The team brings back a few returners that may also see time at other positions including senior Oscar Munoz and junior Quentin Anderson.
 
Defenders
Seniors Jorge Chavez and Jack Rose anchor a solid defensive core in 2019. Chavez is just two years removed from an All-CCC Honorable Mention nod in 2016 and is one of the team's most underrated players. Rose garnered honorable mention last year in his first season with EOU, combining for a strong pair in the center with Chavez. Munoz has also made the move to an outside back in the preseason, while seniors Josh Ebel and Oscar Alegria, who redshirted in 2018, will look to fill one of the other outside positions.
 
Goalkeepers
The Mountaineers have just two keepers on their roster for 2019, including returner Antonio Gracia. In his fourth year, Gracia played in three games last year, allowing under a goal per game in over 100 minutes between the pipes. He will look to hold down the fort with transfer Max Rose.
 
Newcomers
An incredible list of 15 newcomers from around the world are sure to boost an already strong roster. Mills used his connection to his former program, Southwest Mississippi Community College, to bring in a number of talented players including forward Felipe Madero (Argentina) and midfielders Joaquin Bermejillo (Argentina) and Patrick Larsen (Mississippi). The team recruited heavily outside the continent, adding Jack Rose's younger brother Max out of England, Nicholas Chung (Cayman Islands), Matheus Santos and Mike Dias (Brazil), Dillon Van Rensburg (South Africa) and Erik Mattice (Norway). Calvin Mitchell out of Kansas Wesleyan, Alexander Zuluaga (Golden West College) and Javier Moran (LA Mission College) are also sure to contribute as transfers.
 
Schedule
The 2019 schedule will test the Mountaineers early and often. After a home matchup with Embry-Riddle on Friday, EOU heads to California to battle three teams that are represented in the NAIA Coaches' Top-25 Poll. The Mounties start with Marymount California on Sep. 2 and The Master's on Sep. 4. Both programs are receiving votes in the poll. Then EOU visits No. 11 Vanguard on Sep. 6 for their top-25 battle. The CCC regular season begins on Sep. 20 at Northwest Christian. The Mountaineers will be on the road for many of their toughest games, visiting No. 8 Rocky Mountain, No. 13 Southern Oregon and No. 16 Corban.
 
Already with a 1-0 record, EOU hosts Embry-Riddle on Friday at 4 p.m., prior to the women's game also against Embry-Riddle, who is ranked No. 10 on the women's side. With a roster loaded with talent, the Mountaineer men's soccer program looks to take another step further in its fifth year.
 
For more information on Eastern Oregon men's soccer, follow @EOUAthletics or visit eousports.com.
 
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Contact: Iain Dexter; 541-962-3946; idexter@eou.edu
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Oscar Alegria

#20 Oscar Alegria

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Quentin Anderson

#22 Quentin Anderson

MF
5' 8"
Junior
Jorge Chavez

#14 Jorge Chavez

MF
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Josh Ebel

#18 Josh Ebel

D
6' 3"
Senior
Antonio Gracia

#1 Antonio Gracia

GK
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Alex Gutierrez

#19 Alex Gutierrez

F
5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Micah Hill

#27 Micah Hill

F
6' 1"
Senior
Oscar Munoz

#6 Oscar Munoz

F
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Elvis Pavon

#9 Elvis Pavon

F
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Jack Rose

#4 Jack Rose

D
6' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Oscar Alegria

#20 Oscar Alegria

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Quentin Anderson

#22 Quentin Anderson

5' 8"
Junior
MF
Jorge Chavez

#14 Jorge Chavez

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
MF
Josh Ebel

#18 Josh Ebel

6' 3"
Senior
D
Antonio Gracia

#1 Antonio Gracia

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
GK
Alex Gutierrez

#19 Alex Gutierrez

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
F
Micah Hill

#27 Micah Hill

6' 1"
Senior
F
Oscar Munoz

#6 Oscar Munoz

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
F
Elvis Pavon

#9 Elvis Pavon

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
F
Jack Rose

#4 Jack Rose

6' 0"
Senior
D