Photo by: Matthew A. Smith
Tigers Land Five on AAC Postseason Lists
Nov 12, 2019 | Men's Soccer
Memphis earns most postseason award spots since 2011
MEMPHIS, Tennessee – After a regular season that saw the first 10-win year since 2011, five men's soccer players were named to various all-conference teams. Senior Sam Ashton was named All-AAC First Team, senior Ben Roberts and sophomore Gurman Sangha were named to the second team and redshirt freshmen Peter Chang and Ford Hunt were named to the league's All-Rookie team.
"You have to have contributors each year, and these five stepped up this season," Head Coach Richard Mulrooney said. "At the end of the day, we got 10 wins this season, and they were a big reason for that."
Five honorees are the most Memphis has earned as a member of the AAC, and the most since 2011, as a member of Conference USA.
Ashton was named to the first team after scoring 10 goals during the regular season. His double-digit scoring season marked the first such season for a Tiger since 2012. At No. 10 Xavier, he became the first Tiger to score a hat trick since 2015. He was one of four AAC players to record a hat trick this season. Against Saint Louis, the senior bookended the scoring, putting home the first goal in the 12th minute before scoring the game-winner of the 3-2 final in the 68th minute.
During the season, the Portsmouth, England native received one AAC Offensive Player of the Week award and three AAC Weekly Honor Roll awards. In a conference that featured five double-digit goal scorers this year, Ashton's 10 ranked third in the league and checked in at 26th in the country.
Roberts made his third-straight AAC all-conference team after being named to the second team this season. He was previously named to the second team in 2017 and the first team in 2018. He is the first Memphis player to receive three all-conference selections since Mark Sherrod (2011-13). The Liverpool, England native opened the season by scoring the first goal of the season against Campbell, which proved to be the game-winner. His score marked the first goal at the Billy J. Murphy Track & Soccer Complex as the permanent home for the Tigers.
Of the league's double-digit scorers, Roberts led a defense that allowed just one of those players to score against the Tigers this season, shutting down all three of the forwards that were named first team all-conference. Against UCF, Roberts held Cal Jennings, the conference's active leader in career goals scored, without a shot.
This season, Roberts became the first Memphis player to earn multiple career AAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. After claiming one last season, the senior picked up two more this year.
Sangha adds a second team nod to his resume after being named to the all-rookie team last season. He gave the Tigers three goals and four assists, including a goal and an assist in the win at No. 3 SMU.
Adding speed and one-on-one ability on the wing, Sangha was awarded one Weekly Honor Roll spot this season. The sophomore started the season with goals in back-to-back games against Campbell and Wright State.
After missing last season to injury, Hunt made the all-rookie squad after making his presence felt on the team this season. Earning a starting spot midway through the season, he became an important midfielder for Memphis, connecting the backline and the forwards.
The Johannesburg, South Africa native scored his first-career point at UConn, connecting on the assist in overtime. He followed that up with his first-career goal against Temple.
Another all-rookie team member, Chang started his career with a goal against Wright State. He would go on to finish the season with three goals and three assists, including a goal and two assists in the win at No. 3 SMU.
"You have to have contributors each year, and these five stepped up this season," Head Coach Richard Mulrooney said. "At the end of the day, we got 10 wins this season, and they were a big reason for that."
Five honorees are the most Memphis has earned as a member of the AAC, and the most since 2011, as a member of Conference USA.
Ashton was named to the first team after scoring 10 goals during the regular season. His double-digit scoring season marked the first such season for a Tiger since 2012. At No. 10 Xavier, he became the first Tiger to score a hat trick since 2015. He was one of four AAC players to record a hat trick this season. Against Saint Louis, the senior bookended the scoring, putting home the first goal in the 12th minute before scoring the game-winner of the 3-2 final in the 68th minute.
During the season, the Portsmouth, England native received one AAC Offensive Player of the Week award and three AAC Weekly Honor Roll awards. In a conference that featured five double-digit goal scorers this year, Ashton's 10 ranked third in the league and checked in at 26th in the country.
Roberts made his third-straight AAC all-conference team after being named to the second team this season. He was previously named to the second team in 2017 and the first team in 2018. He is the first Memphis player to receive three all-conference selections since Mark Sherrod (2011-13). The Liverpool, England native opened the season by scoring the first goal of the season against Campbell, which proved to be the game-winner. His score marked the first goal at the Billy J. Murphy Track & Soccer Complex as the permanent home for the Tigers.
Of the league's double-digit scorers, Roberts led a defense that allowed just one of those players to score against the Tigers this season, shutting down all three of the forwards that were named first team all-conference. Against UCF, Roberts held Cal Jennings, the conference's active leader in career goals scored, without a shot.
This season, Roberts became the first Memphis player to earn multiple career AAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. After claiming one last season, the senior picked up two more this year.
Sangha adds a second team nod to his resume after being named to the all-rookie team last season. He gave the Tigers three goals and four assists, including a goal and an assist in the win at No. 3 SMU.
Adding speed and one-on-one ability on the wing, Sangha was awarded one Weekly Honor Roll spot this season. The sophomore started the season with goals in back-to-back games against Campbell and Wright State.
After missing last season to injury, Hunt made the all-rookie squad after making his presence felt on the team this season. Earning a starting spot midway through the season, he became an important midfielder for Memphis, connecting the backline and the forwards.
The Johannesburg, South Africa native scored his first-career point at UConn, connecting on the assist in overtime. He followed that up with his first-career goal against Temple.
Another all-rookie team member, Chang started his career with a goal against Wright State. He would go on to finish the season with three goals and three assists, including a goal and two assists in the win at No. 3 SMU.
Players Mentioned
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