11/07/2007
Men's Soccer Places Three on All-NEWMAC Squad

WORCESTER, MASS. 11/07/07 - Three members of the Clark University men’s soccer team were named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) all-conference teams, it was announced on Wednesday. Lino Goncalves and Marc Labbe received first-team recognition, while Peter Wise earned second-team accolades.

A mainstay in Clark’s backfield, Goncalves is a three-time All-NEWMAC selection, earning his second first-team nod. The versatile senior from Newton, Mass., has been utilized on both ends of the field as he helped Clark top the conference in goals allowed (4) and shutouts (4), and chipped in offensively with two goals and two assists this season. He was also recognized for his solid defensive play with the defensive Most Valuable Player honor at the Western New England College Classic earlier this season.

Originally from Waterville, Me., Labbe finished as the team’s top scorer this season with a career-high 10 goals and 20 points. In regular season games, the senior midfielder finished second in goals and fourth in both goals per game (.56) and points (1.11) in the NEWMAC. Labbe, a two-year starter, scored a goal in five of Clark’s seven wins, including a three-goal game in a victory over Lasell College earlier this fall. He also earned NEWMAC Player of the Week and WNEC Classic All-Tournament team honors this season. This is his first All-Conference team appearance.

Wise, a native of Providence, R.I., was the lone goalkeeper on the All-Star second-team. During the regular season, the junior netminder led Clark to five shutouts, including four of six scoreless games in the NEWMAC. He surrendered just four goals in six conference games, where three came in a second-half man-down situation against Babson College earlier this season. He tops the conference in four statistical categories, including goals against average (.64), save percentage (.879), saves (4.83), and shutouts (.67) and ranks second overall in goals against average (.91), save percentage (.828), saves and saves per game (4.81). Wise was also named to the WNEC Classic All-Tournament team at the start of the year.

After claiming the most ties in school history, Clark (7-5-6, 3-2-1 NEWMAC) capped its year in the conference tournament semifinals.