ATHERTON, CA — On a festive morning celebrating Hall of Fame and Alumni memories during OAKtoberfest, the Menlo Men's Soccer team secured its sixth consecutive victory with a 2-0 shutout against Dominican University. The win on Saturday marked Menlo's 8th win of the season and further solidified their impressive form in PacWest Conference play, securing 2nd place in the standings. Today was extra special, as Menlo announced Juan Rocha (04') and Armando San Vicente (06') into the Hall of Fame Class of 2024. 

Faeth Continuing Star Efforts

It was a mellow game with thoughtful strategies on both sides throughout the entire match. Menlo couldn't break through until the 73rd minute when senior striker Parker Faeth scored the game-winning goal. The Oaks would earn a corner kick and select the short pass towards midfielder Sebastian Lopez. Lopez sent a perfectly-timed ball to Faeth's head which put him in scoring position. This is Faeth's second goal in three matches played, showing his ability to perform in clutch moments and shine as a driving force for the Oaks' attack. Parker is also the reason for two other teammates' goals, assisting in more ways than one to get the job done and earn victories for the Oaks.  

The insurance goal came in the 88th minute, courtesy of senior forward Mattia Celant. The Penguins defense were possessing the ball on the back line when out of nowhere, midfielder Andres Maldonado would toe-poke it up the Oak's attacking third. A speedy drive to the endline allowed Mattia to get in a dangerous scoring position. The ideal ball from Maldonado set Celant up to power the ball into the net and score for his second time in two games, and third goal of the season. Celant sealed the 2-0 victory and allowed the Oaks to hunker down and defend their lead. 

Looking at the Stats

The stats from Saturday's matchup highlight the competitive nature between the Penguins and the Oaks. Though Menlo held the advantage across key categories. Despite the Penguins' fierce defense, Menlo controlled the tempo with twelve shots, nine in the second-half and also held superior ball possession. The Oaks' relentless offense forced the Dominican goalkeeper to make four saves, while Menlo's goalkeeper Martin Fiala secured the shutout with one crucial save, cementing the defense's solid performance.

Menlo's back line, David Stuber, Luis Politron, Roy Rosenberg, and Donald Holliday, all had a major role in today's win. Because of their extraordinary performances, the Penguins could not earn a single corner kick opportunity. On the other side, the Oaks would have 5 changes from the corner flag and ended up scoring off of one of them. 


Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Menlo Athletics is proud to announce the Hall of Fame Class of 2024 this year, which included two Alumnus from Menlo Men's Soccer. On Friday, October 18th, 2024, Juan Rocha and Armando San Vicente invited a parade of family members and supporters to witness their induction into the Menlo College Hall of Fame. The two athletes were key members when it came to team culture, leadership, and responsibility on the Men's Soccer program. 

 

Juan Rocha, 2000 - 2004 – Men's Soccer

When speaking about the best to have ever stepped onto the Menlo Men's Soccer pitch, it would be difficult not to mention the Oaks' top midfielder from 2000 to 2004, Juan Rocha. His coach at the time Len Renery could not agree more: "Juan came to Menlo in 2000 and played a major role in revitalizing the soccer program. Unquestionably, he took Menlo soccer to a much higher level. As a player, Juan brought skill, speed, attitude and pride to the program, traits which his teammates inherited and which earned him team captaincy for three straight years."

In his four years with the Oaks, Rocha won every possible accolade an individual could, embodying the life of a student-athlete. Rocha quickly established himself as a leader for the Oaks, being named a team captain for three years and famously never missing a practice or game in his career. Rocha was the definition of an "iron man" who anchored Menlo at the midfield position. He was also an excellent member of the Menlo community, including from an academic standpoint, being named an Academic All-American. 

When it came to his ability on the field, Rocha was twice named to the Cal Pac's All-Conference Second Team and earned 15 goals and 22 assists as a primary facilitator of Menlo's offense. To cap off his already impressive resume, Rocha concluded his time with the Oaks named to the First Team All-Conference squad, as well as Cal Pac's Player-of-the-Year due to his domination at Menlo's point of attack. 

On top of his success during his collegiate playing days, Rocha remains engaged with the Menlo Soccer community, having most recently attended the 2024 Señor Carlos López Alumni Day (when he even got back on the pitch)! This should come as no surprise, as Rocha was incredibly active in the community during his time at Menlo, including graduating Magna Cum Laude, serving as a resident assistant, and being named to the Dean's List four times over. When asked what coming back to Menlo meant to him, Rocha offered up how important his time as an Oak was, saying: "The team gave me so much. It gave me a lot of friends that I continue to stay in touch with even today. It gave me the knowledge that I carry from Coach Len. He was a big support when I came to Menlo. The team and the Carlos Lopez Alumni Day means camaraderie, family, community, and hanging out."

Armando San Vicente, 2002 - 2006 – Men's Soccer

Menlo Men's Soccer team will feature not just one but two inductees into the Oaks Hall of Fame, with Armando San Vicente joining his teammate Juan Rocha. Appropriately enough, as the two spent a pair of seasons together on the pitch! 

San Vicente carved out his legacy with the Oaks, filled with numerous accomplishments and accolades. A natural leader, San Vicente was a three-time team captain, earning the honor three consecutive times as a sophomore, junior, and senior! He was also named to the Dean's List. Longtime head coach Len Renery echoed the impact San Vicente had on the team's culture on and off the field: "Armando came to Menlo in 2002, and made an immediate impact on the soccer team. He scored an outstanding 11 goals and five assists as a freshman.  He was selected as team captain as a sophomore, junior and senior. In his four years at Menlo, Armando started every game, missing none."

As he transitioned into an upperclassman, San Vicente elevated his performance on the field and submitted two of the strongest individual seasons in program history. He would first be named to the Cal Pac's All-Conference Second Team as a junior before a massive breakout performance in his final year of play. During his senior year, San Vicente led the Oaks to an 11-win season, including a 5-1-1 record in conference play. It was the Oak's first double-digit win season during a 12-year span. For his performance on the field, he was named a member of the Cal Pac's All-Conference First Team and was a Cal Pac Player-of-the-Week and the Cal Pac Player-of-the-Year!

When asked about his time with head coach Len Renery and Menlo Men's Soccer, San Vicente couldn't help but reflect on his younger self, saying: "As I look back on my four years at Menlo, I see a nineteen-year-old kid with a dream of someday being great, making a difference in my family and community, and most of all, making my mother, Yrma San Vicente, the proudest mom on the planet. I'm here today blessed and honored to be welcomed to the 2024 Menlo College Athletics Hall of Fame. A special thanks to my Coach, Len Renery, and the 2002-2006 soccer players class. GO OAKS!!" 

Up Next… 

Menlo Men's Soccer continues their winning streak and looks forward to extending it in their next matchup on Wednesday, October 23rd at UC Santa Cruz at 3pm.