Men's Soccer Lands Sixth in HCAC Preseason Poll
DEFIANCE, OHIO – The Defiance College men’s soccer team, under the guidance of fourth year head coach Jordan Valentine, was selected to finish sixth in the 10 team Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference caoches’ poll announced Wednesday afternoon.
DEFIANCE, OHIO – The Defiance College men's soccer team, under the guidance of fourth year head coach Jordan Valentine, was selected to finish sixth in the 10 team Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference caoches' poll announced Wednesday afternoon.
Defending HCAC Champion, Transylvania, captured the top seed with 91 points and nine first place votes, followed by Hanover with 79 points and one first place vote. Rose-Hulman captured the third spot with 78 points, while Manchester claimed fourth with 68 points and Anderson fifth with 54 points.
Defiance returns 13 letter winners including second team All-HCAC senior Christian Meister and All-HCAC honoree, Clay Musgrave. Meister appeared in all 18 games for the Purple and Gold with a team-best seven goals and four assists. The senior recorded a team-high 39 shots, 25 of which were on frame.
Musgrave led the Yellow Jackets in net starting all 18 games. The senior tallied 1,615 minutes in frame with 113 saves, ranking him first in the HCAC. He finished the season with an 80.7% saving percentage ranking him among the top-five in the Conference.
The Yellow Jackets will open the 2018 season on Aug. 31 against Penn St.-Beaver for the opening round of the annual Purple and Gold Tournament.
2018 HCAC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
| Finish | Team | Votes | 2017 Record |
| 1. | Transylvania | 91 (9) | 17-2 (8-1) |
| 2. | Hanover | 79 (1) | 12-4-2 (7-1-1) |
| 3. | Rose-Hulman | 78 | 12-5-3 (7-1-1) |
| 4. | Manchester | 68 | 10-9 (6-3) |
| 5. | Anderson | 54 | 9-9-1 (4-5) |
| 6. | Defiance | 45 | 8-8-2 (4-5) |
| 7. | Earlham | 43 | 3-13-1 (3-5-1) |
| 8. | Mount St. Joseph | 37 | 5-11-3 (2-6-1) |
| 9. | Franklin | 35 | 2-15 (1-8) |
| 10. | Bluffton | 20 | 1-16 (1-8) |