Seven men's soccer players receive All-Region honors
Raleigh, N.C. — Seven Wake Tech men's soccer players received All-Region honors, Region 10 announced Tuesday afternoon. Three players were named to the first team. The Eagles wrapped up their regular season a week ago, and currently have a 7-4-2 record, and have broken the record for most wins in program history. They begin postseason play at home on Wednesday afternoon, entering the Region 10 DII tournament as the #2 seed.
Ali Elshafi, Forward - First Team
Ali Elshafi is named to the first team for the second consecutive season. The Holly Springs native has started all 13 matches for Wake Tech this season, scoring five goals and tallying seven assists. Elshafi is second in Region 10 DII in assists on the season.
Pablo Vargas, Forward - First Team
After a freshman season with just two goals and an assist, sophomore forward Pablo Vargas burst onto the scene this season with 12 goals and five assists. He leads Region 10 DII players in goals and points (29). He has four multi-goal games this season, including a four-goal performance in a 5-0 win against Central Carolina Club on September 26.
Jacob Whitfield, Goalkeeper - First Team
Jacob Whitfield has started nine games in goal for Wake Tech this season. The freshman keeper played the full 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet oin the conference opener at home against Cape Fear on September 4. He then set a career-high in saves (8) in the return trip to Cape Fear on October 10, helping the team complete a 3-2 comeback victory.
Cole Adkins, Defender - Second Team
Freshman defender Cole Adkins has made 10 starts this season for Wake Tech. The Holly Springs native scored the game-winning goal at Patrick & Henry on October 3, the first in his collegiate career.
Joe Steiner, Forward - Second Team
Joe Steiner receives second team honors this season, appearing in 12 games and starting 11. The sophomore forward has tallied two goals and three assists, and has been key for the Eagles on the wing this season.
David Cervantes, Midfielder - Third Team
David Cervantes has been a staple in Wake Tech's midfield for two seasons now, and earns third team honors for his sophomore campaign that has seen him make 11 appearances and 10 starts, while scoring three goals and recording one assist. The Knightdale native scored a brace in a 5-1 win at Central Carolina Club on September 22.
Matthew Hannegan, Defender, Third Team
Matthe Hannegan has been a stalwart in the Wake Tech defense all season, starting in 12 of the team's 13 games to this point. He's been a part of two clean sheets, and this season the team has conceded three or more goals on only three occasions.
Next up, Region 10 Semifinal vs. Richard Bland
After a strong regular season, the Eagles earned the opportunity to host a Region 10 semifinal as the #2 seed, where they will take on #3 seed Richard Bland on Wednesday, October 22 at 12:30 PM at WRAL Soccer Park. The winner of Wednesday's semifinal will advance to the Region 10 championship on Saturday, October 25, which will be hosted by the higher seed.