Chan, Five Florida Tech Panthers Garner All-SSC Honors
By Florida Tech // November 7, 2014
semifinal showdown with Saint Leo friday
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Florida Tech’s exceptional season is certainly not going unnoticed, as head coach Robin Chan and five members of the Panther men’s soccer team were honored by the Sunshine State Conference Thursday afternoon.
Chan was tabbed SSC Co-Coach of the Year along with John Rootes of Lynn. Forward Adin Kavara was named to the first team, while Drake Hillman, Sam Sawyer,Josh Thomas and Mitch Thorn were all recognized as second-team selections.
Following a 5-9-1 campaign a season ago, Chan has resurrected the Panthers into a 10-4-2 club that is in contention for an SSC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth. Florida Tech was picked to finish sixth in the preseason conference polls, yet the Panthers finished second overall and nabbed the No. 3 seed in this week’s conference tourney. The selection is his second during his 10-year tenure at FIT, having also been awarded in 2011.
A native of Oslo, Norway, Kavara has been clutch for a Florida Tech squad that has averaged nearly two goals per game this season. The sophomore forward has recorded a team-high 11 goals, including five game-winners. He has also converted all four of his penalty kick attempts and notched a respectable three assists.
Hillman, a senior, has provided the Panthers an additional scoring option in 2014. He has totaled six goals, good for second on the team, and three assists. The second-team honor is Hillman’s second of his career, adding to his sophomore season recognition.
An intricate part of the Panther backline, Sawyer has spearheaded a defense that limited SSC opponents to nine goals in eight matches, good for second fewest in the conference. The sophomore has logged 841 minutes this year, but had his season cut short after 11 games due to injury.
Starting in 12 games as a freshman, Thomas has added balance to the Panther lineup all season long. The native of Bagworth, England has registered four goals along with a team-leading six assists. He even scored the game-winner against Eckerd in the conference quarterfinals on Tuesday.
The anchor of the Florida Tech defense, Thorn has allowed a miniscule 0.93 goals per game in 15 matches. The junior has tallied seven shutouts, including six solo, and is currently in the midst of a 320-minute scoreless streak.
Florida Tech travels to Lynn Friday for a SSC Championship semifinal showdown with Saint Leo at 4 p.m.
