Rhody soccer: players selected for A-10 team

11/18/08 - The University of Rhode Island men's soccer team boasts three players on the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Senior Kedan Crosby, Sophomore Dwayne Williams and Freshman Erkko Puranen were all awarded the A-10 honors after receiving votes from the league's head coaches.Puranen, a Finland native, was also named to the A-10 All-Rookie team.

Crosby, a senior co-captain from St. James, Trinidad, started every game for the Rams this season and finished the season second on the team with 13 points, four goals and five assists.

Three of Crosby's goals and three of his assists came against league opponents.

His notable performances include a double-overtime winner against the University of North Carolina Charlotte on Nov. 7. He also contributed a game-winning assist in a 1-0 double overtime victory against the University of Hartford, a goal and an assist in a 3-2 overtime victory at Duquesne University and a goal with one second left in the first half in a 1-1 draw against George Washington University.

In his career, Crosby has appeared in 80 games and started 37.

The All-Conference selection is the first of his collegiate career.

"I'm particularly pleased with Kedan's selection," head coach John O'Connor said. "I think he has worked very hard and this has been his best season. I'm really glad he's gotten this kind of recognition."

Dwayne Williams, a sophomore from Westmoreland, Jamaica, was also honored due to his fine defensive work and his clutch goal-scoring performances.

Williams is one of only three sophomores on the All-Conference team and is also the only defender to represent his class.

This year, Williams led the Rams with three game-winnings goals, including two in back-to-back games. He booted the tie-breaker two minutes before the end of regulation time against the University of Massachusetts on Oct. 12 and topped that performance with an overtime score against Duquesne University on Oct. 17.

After starting in only three games last season, Williams started 18 games this year for the Rams and led the team in minutes played, with 1621.

He finished the season with seven points, three goals - all game-winners - and one assist.

Freshman Erkko Puranen received dual honors after being named to both the All-Conference and All-Rookie teams.

The Finland native led Rhody with 18 points and seven goals. His seven goals also rank sixth among all A-10 players and second among A-10 rookies.

Puranen notched two game-winning goals for the Rams this season, both in 1-0 double-overtime victories over Harvard University and UMass respectively.

He has also had three two-goal games this year, most recently in Rhody's final game of the season, a 3-2 loss in the opening round of the A-10 tournament.

Puranen started in 10 games for URI this year and appeared in 18.

"I think the selections are a good reflection of our team this year," O'Connor said. "We're very balanced."

The young Rams have a strong nucleus moving forward into next year with Puranen and Williams leading the way.

"Dwayne and Erkko are both young players in our program, so I think that bodes a lot for us in our future, " O'Connor said.