Junior Brad Weinberg was honored by the Liberty League this week. (Photo by Kevin Colton)

October 3, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart soccer team has jumped from No. 14 last week to No. 8 this week in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. The Statesmen have also regained the top spot in the Northeast region, up from the No. 2 position they held for the past two weeks. The NSCAA rankings are voted on weekly by coaches across the country.

Hobart has posted a 9-1-0 overall mark so far this season, and is currently undefeated in Liberty League action (3-0-0). Last week, the Statesmen added two more wins, defeating St. John Fisher (1-0), and Hamilton (2-1).

Junior Brad Weinberg (Marcellus/Marcellus, N.Y.) earned a share of the Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week award after tallying two assists to lead Hobart past the Continentals last Saturday. Weinberg set up first-year Cody Christensen (The Loomis Chaffee School/Guilford, Conn.) for his first collegiate goal, before assisting classmate Tyler Webster (Acton-Boxboro/Acton, Mass.) on the game-winner.

Senior Tucker Crockett (Episcopal Academy/Rosemont, Pa.) was responsible for the lone goal against St. John Fisher, with help from classmate Ben Crosky (Mountain Greylock Regional/Williamstown, Mass.).

Sophomore goalkeepers Pete Van Dellon (Webster Thomas/Webster, N.Y.) and Phil DaCosta (Manchester Memorial/Manchester, N.H.) have led Hobart’s solid defense. Van Dellon recorded six saves against the Cardinals to earn his third shutout of the season, while DaCosta tallied five saves to lead the Statesmen past Hamilton. The two have combined for four shutouts, 38 saves, and a 0.70 goals against average.

Holding the top three spots in the country this week are Trinity (Texas), Messiah, and York (Pa.).

Hobart will take a four-game winning streak into this weekend’s Liberty League matches, when it hosts St. Lawrence on Oct. 6 at 4 p.m., and Clarkson on Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. Fans unable to attend the games can listen live on WEOS-FM (89.7/90.3 in Geneva, 88.1 in Ithaca), or follow the game online at http://campus.hws.edu/athletics/hobart/soccer/live/xlive.htm.