EMU’s soccer men were well-represented on the All-ODAC Teams, which were released today. The Royals put one player on each of the three teams, which were voted on by the league’s coaches.
Defender Emmanuel Boamah (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) moved up to the All-ODAC First Team this year, while Juan Luna (Mount Jackson, Va./Stonewall Jackson) earned Second Team honors as a forward. Dylan Polley (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) took a Third Team spot as a midfielder.
It is the second straight All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference award for Boamah after being on the Second Team last fall. The sophomore helped Eastern Mennonite post seven shutouts this season, the program’s highest total since 2008. Boamah scored the first two goals of his career this year, including the game-winner on a long free kick in a key 2-0 win at Emory & Henry to end the regular season.
This is the sixth straight year where EMU has had at least one representative on the conference’s First Team.
Luna again proved himself as one of the top offensive threats in the ODAC, bettering his numbers from his All-ODAC First Team effort in 2015. Despite missing two mid-season games, Luna led the Royals with four assists and 20 points, and tied for the team high with eight goals. He was top five in the ODAC in both goals and points. Luna’s three game-winners tied for third in the league. He also notched his first collegiate hat trick, include the game-winning goal with 1:35 to play, in the men’s dramatic 4-3 win at Ferrum on Sept. 14. Luna is now tied for 11th in EMU career assists (13), tied for 17th in career goals (18), and 16th in career points (49).
A three-year starter in the midfield, Polley had his best season as a senior. His agile touch helped EMU control the middle of the field while he also struck forward and scored the only three goals of his collegiate years. Polley’s score in the 89th minute forged a 3-3 tie at William Peace on Sept. 7, with his other goals coming against Bridgewater and Emory & Henry.
Eastern Mennonite had a record of 9-8-4 this fall, finishing over .500 for the first times in five years.