April 9, 2008

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Lewis University head men's soccer coach Evan Fiffles has announced that two players with local ties have signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Flyers next season.

The two recruits are midfielder Timothy Garland (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central H.S.) and forward Cristian Chavez (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy).

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Garland was an all-conference pick each year of his prep career. He also was two times named an Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) All-Sectional player. During his senior season, Garland was named all-area by both the Daily Southtown, The Star and by the Herald News as a sophomore and junior.

A four-year varsity starter, Garland amassed career totals of 39 goals and 46 assists. His team went 83-24-2 during his four seasons and made two trips to the state's Elite Eight. Garland also played club soccer for the Chicago Magic, which won the Super Y League National Championship.

"He is a tough kid and competitor," Fiffles said. "He can play a couple of different positions. He also was a starter for one of the top club teams in the country."

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Chavez has three years of varsity soccer experience. After scoring 16 goals and 13 assists his first two seasons, Chavez exploded for 22 goals and 11 assists during his senior season. In addition to his success on the field, Chavez is an honor-roll student in the classroom.

Chavez plays club soccer for the Chicago Fire Juniors. He also played for the Naperville Lightning and the ASC Rebels.

"Cristian is a good, solid player," Fiffles said. "He is strong technically and very intelligent on the field. He also has the ability to be a playmaker."

The Flyers (17-5) enjoyed great success in 2007, posting their 16th consecutive season of 10 or more wins and finishing tied with the 2000 team for the second most wins in program history. Lewis claimed its eighth Great Lakes Valley Conference title with a thrilling 1-0 win over No. 1 Northern Kentucky and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the fifth time in program history.