Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Eastern New Mexico midfielder Robert Leonard races to the ball against Sebastian Hermosillo of the University of the Southwest in Saturday's exhibition match at Greyhound Stadium. Leonard scored five goals last season for the Greyhounds.
PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico's men's soccer team is tapped to finish its second season in the Heartland Conference in the same position it ended its first.
The Greyhounds are predicted to finish sixth in the conference, according to a poll released Monday.
Defending champion Midwestern State was chosen to repeat by 14 of the poll's 24 voters representing the 12 teams, which play in three divisions.
ENMU went 7-8-4 overall last season, with a 5-6-3 mark in Heartland play to finish second in the West Division behind West Texas A&M. Midwestern State (18-4-1, 13-1) took the North, while St. Edward's (18-3-1, 12-2-1) claimed the South.
St. Edward's was chosen second in the poll, and grabbed eight first-place votes.
The two remaining first-place votes were split among WT in third and Rogers State in fifth. Newman was picked to finish fifth.
The Hounds closed the 2016 regular season with back-to-back 2-1 wins over Lubbock Christian and West Texas A&M to reach the league tournament. The appearance marked the second time the ENMU program reached the postseason. Eastern posted a 5-6-3 record in conference play last season
ENMU begins its season Aug. 31 at Adams State.
