USC All-Mid-Atlantic Region Team
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On Monday evening, the United Soccer Coaches announced the 2018 All-Region teams and among the student-athletes honored were four Messiah men's soccer players, including three on the First Team. Among the honorees were senior forward
Nick West, senior midfielder
Samuel Ruiz Plaza, freshman
Luke Groothoff, and senior midfielder
Justin Brautigam.
All four honors given to Falcons on Monday were the first of their careers.
Nick West's First Team honor in 2018 is the first All-Region nod of his career. The honor comes just a couple weeks after West was named the MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year. West scored in 15-straight matches from Sept. 1 through Oct. 20, tying the all-time NCAA Division III record for consecutive games with at least one goal. West paced the Falcons' offense this season with 30 goals and six assists for 66 total points. His 30 goals are the second-most in a single season in Messiah men's soccer history.
Midfielder
Samuel Ruiz Plaza collected his first-career First Team honor this season after patrolling the midfield and controlling possession for the Falcons. On the season, Ruiz Plaza has pushed forward at times, tallying four goals and adding an assist, but he has made his mark on games by managing the tempo and pace in the middle portion of the field for Messiah.
Freshman
Luke Groothoff was named First Team after anchored a Falcons' defensive line that allowed 15 goals on the season for a 0.65 goals against average. Groothoff immediately inserted himself into the starting line-up and started in all 23 matches this season. In addition to his defensive abilities, Groothoff made his mark offensively with five goals, including two tallies against Misericordia on Sept. 22.
Justin Brautigam was named Second Team All-Region in the midfield after a five-goal, two-assist season during his senior campaign. Brautigam finished tied for fourth on the team with 12 points while his five goals were tied for third-best on the squad.
The Falcons wrapped up their season last weekend in the Elite Eight. Messiah finished the season with an overall record of 19-1-3 and a trip to their 18th Sectional Final in program history.
