Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Valparaiso sophomore Ryan Schwarz (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) was named the 2007 Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year, while junior Oscar Lomeli (Jalisco, Mexico/ [Bethel]) joined Schwarz on the All-League Second Team and earned All-Newcomer Team honors as the league office announced the postseason awards today.

Schwarz earned the Goalkeeper of the Year honor after leading the league with 84 saves during the regular season, averaging 5.25 saves/match, good for 17^th among all Division I goalies.  His overall goals against average of 1.55 is poised to be the lowest single-season GAA in Crusader history.  Schwarz lowered his GAA to 1.02 in league matches, allowing one goal or less in seven of Valpo’s eight loop contests.  He enters the Horizon League Championship on a hot streak, having not allowed a goal in regulation time in the Crusaders’ last four league matches.

Lomeli earned Second Team and All-Newcomer Team accolades after providing a big presence up front in his first season as a Crusader.  The 6’2” forward tallied an assist in Valpo’s opener at North Carolina State and scored his first goal in the Crusaders’ win over IPFW.  Most recently, Lomeli scored the match-winning goal early in the second half Friday against Cleveland State in a 1-0 Valpo victory.

Schwarz, Lomeli and the rest of the Crusaders will return to the pitch for the Horizon League Championships on Friday evening as they travel to Wright State to take on the Raiders.  Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CST, with live video and stats links available at www.valpo.edu/athletics.