Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

LeClerc named 2014 Skyline Defensive Player of the Year; Five Gators earn All-Conference Honors

LeClerc named 2014 Skyline Defensive Player of the Year; Five Gators earn All-Conference Honors

Link to complete team release

New York, NY The Sage Colleges' men's soccer team had five players honored with the release of the 2014 Skyline Conference Men's Soccer All-Star Team, while sophomore defender Kyle LeClerc (Beacon, NY/Beacon) was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

LeClerc was joined on the first team by fellow Gators, junior forward Peter Fabrykiwicz (Delancey, NY/Andes),   senior forward Gustavo Trinidad (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck), and junior goalie T.J. Zehner (Beacon, NY/Beacon). Sophomore back Christian Pinti (Slate Hill, NY/Minisink Valley) was named to the Second Team for his play.

Sage is currently 9-6-1 on the season after going 7-2 in Skyline Conference play. The Gators earned the No. 2 seed for the 2014 conference tournament and will host Purchase College in the semifinals on Wednesday, November 5 at 12:30 p.m. at the Albany College of Pharmacy's Athletic Complex.

LeClerc anchors a Sage defense that has allowed a league-low 17 goals this fall, including just six in league play. The Gators have registered shutouts in eight of its 16 contests this season. He has compiled four goals and one assist on the year and has helped the team rank nationally in several categories, including shutouts (0.5 per game, No. 39 nationally).

Fabrykiwicz leads the Gators with 20 points this season on eight goals and four assists and has a pair of game-winning goals this year. He is nationally ranked in four different offensive categories, including No. 101 in points per game average with his 1.43 point per game average.

Trinidad is a three-time Skyline Conference First Team All-Star after earning league player of the year honors as a junior. This fall he has tallied 14 points on three goals with a team-best eight assists. He currently ranks No. 47 in Division III in assists. Earlier this fall, he broke Sage's career point record and brings 78 points on 24 goals and 30 career assists into the Skyline Tournament. He also holds the program's career assist record, while standing No. 2 in career goals with 24.

Zehner, who was a Skyline Conference Second Team All-Star as a rookie in 2012, continues to add to his extensive list of records as a goalie for the Gators. On his 2014 season, the Gator captain has a 1.15 GAA with 55 saves and only 17 goals allowed in 16 starts. He ranks nationally in both GAA and saves percentage (.764).  He has active Gator career records for most saves (153), most wins (23), most shutouts (13.1), most appearances in goal (41) and most career starts in goal (41).

Pinti has played in 15 games this fall and has helped to anchor the 2014 Gator defense. As a rookie last season, he was the co-high scorer for the 2013 Sage rookies with three goals and two assists (8 points).

Since adding men's soccer, the Gators have now appeared in every Skyline Conference Tournament since the 2010 season and finished this season as the Skyline Conference regular-season runner-up.  The 2014 Skyline Conference Championship will be held in conjunction with the Fall Festival at Purchase College on November 8 with the men's championship match taking place at 1:30 p.m. The 2014 Skyline Conference Champion will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Overall on the 2014 season, Sage has outscored their foes by a 43-17 margin and has blanked eight different opponents. The Gators have combined for 42 assists and rank No. 16 in Division III and No. 35 nationally in total points as well as No. 9 in assists per game (2.63).

 

In the Swamp with TJ Zehner
September 17, 2014 In the Swamp with TJ Zehner