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Nate Smith Earns 3rd Team All-Region
December 7, 2012
Senior Nate Smith earned third-team All-Region honors for the second straight season (photo courtesy of Ed Webber, Keuka College Sports Information Department).
Senior Nate Smith (Hilton, NY/Hilton) led the Keuka College men’s soccer team in scoring, and capped his sensational career by earning his second straight National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) third-team All-East Region honors.
Smith, a first-team All-NEAC midfielder who garnered all-conference honors for the fourth time in his career, led the Storm (7-8, 5-5 NEAC) in goals (10) and points (25) and was tied for the team lead in assists (5).
“Nate had an outstanding season for us, he’s the heart of our team and the heart of our midfield and he made us go,” said Matt Tantalo, Keuka’s eighth-year men’s soccer coach.
“It wasn’t just the numbers; it was his work rate in the midfield, it was his ability to get forward and be dangerous and he had some big moments in big games for us. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Smith tied for second in the conference among goal scorers, and he was second in both points scored and game-winning goals (4). He scored nine of his 10 goals against NEAC foes, including two-goal games in wins over Gallaudet (Sept. 23), Lancaster Bible (Sept. 28) and SUNY Cobleskill (Oct. 6).
The playmaking Smith had three two-goal games during a four-game stretch from Sept. 23 through Oct. 6, and scored a season-best four points on one goal and two assists during a 3-0 home win over Penn State-Berks on Sept. 9.
Smith finished his Keuka career ninth all-time in goals scored (25) and points (61).
Keuka has had four All-Region selections the last three years: Smith (2011, 2012) and Brian Cunliffe and Jack Reece, who were named third-team All-Region during the 2010 season.
“It’s Nate’s heart that sets him apart,” Tantalo said of Smith. “Every time I talked to an opposing coach, especially a coach in the conference, the first thing they’d say is, ‘I love the way Nate plays, he plays with so much heart,’ and it’s true. His work ethic and work rate on the field and the heart he plays with, that’s what sets him apart. I was quite proud of the leader he became on the field.”
To view the entire All-East Region team, click here.
