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Soccer caj By GREG STREHMEL Staff Writer At 5-foot-5, Tommy Loeber was the smallest person on this past season's Gamecock soccer squad. However, the former team captain and star defender's play was big enough to land him a spot in the world of professional soccer. Loeber was selected in the first round of the Major Indoor Soccer League draft in Kansas City this past Wednesday by the San Diego Sockers. The defending champion Sockers drafted Loeber with the final (eighth) pick of the first round. The defender had been participating in the East-West Indoor Ploooip cr\r\ncr?r??/1 Hw thn \4T5\T in V-IUJOIV J|yvi?uwivu \j j mv ^ ? f All which he was chosen as the Defensive Star of the all-star game on Feb. 12. Loeber tallied two assists for the West squad in a 6-5 defeat. Loeber had been an iron man for the Gamecock kickers since arriving in Columbia from Arlington, Tex. in 1986. As a freshman he stepped into USC's lineup and played every minute of every game except for part of an NCAA tourney contest against Duke when he suffered a concussion. In the summer of 1987, Loeber played on the U.S. Olympic Festival South squad and he was looking forward to a big sophomore season when disaster struck. Playing in a game in Texas, he was llllllllllllip Q ^IIIIIIIIIIIU J| J iiiiuiiiuiiiuiiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiW Bail College One Hundre to Buy Your < NO iK m ^ ai ( Save $100 on 18K, $5 on 10K gold rings, in from Balfour. Order y special Age of Reason Where: University Bookstore Russell House Time: 9:00 arr Balfour: Your Loca 1226 Pickem 254-! it ( lW - i~r . \ I M My~~^WpdB ! BUY O I ' LIZARt 0 CORNELL AR Q. => buy ONE meal and gi 8 (D 1 | OFI '| FC I I jtain Loeb fouled from behind and a ligament h; in his right knee was torn apart. gJ Some people said he'd never re walk again, much less be able to y< run and play soccer. However, he is hadn't become one of the top play- y ers in the United States by being a A quitter. Loeber returned to USC in the h< fall of 1987 and began the gruell- H ing, painful, slow process of reha- w bilitating his leg. When the fall of 1988 rolled ar- tl ound he was back on the field for c the Gamecocks. That year Loeber s; again played every minute of all 1 22 games and was a key figure in tl leading USC all the way to the Fi- L nal Four. tl Again Loeber led the way in 1989, playing 22 straight games p without a break. The Gamecocks c advanced to the final eight that v vMr h J In 1990 Loeber set a new career p record by starting 87 games for a USC. The old mark was held by Billy McMullan with 79. I Loeber has been a prime reason r that USC's program has made I giant leaps in getting national rec- ( ognition the past few years. f "There's a huge sense of pride z in what we've been able to do," I Loeber said. "It's changed greatly since I first came here. Now we t are starting to get recognized on s the street as soccer players and we > 'GSC-FM ! VI wPV I I liillllllllllll our. Rings id Reasons College Ring W! |Q dffT 0 on 14K and $25 great designs only ours today?this is won't last forever! When: Wed., Thurs., Fri. Feb. 27, 28, Mar. 1 ) - 4:00 pm I Class Ring Company s St. Suite 5 5330 BR-93 _ NE. GET ONE j Please bring this coupon to )'S THICKET, 921 SUMTER S MS BUILDING (across from h et SECOND meal of equal or >oes not include beverages or desserts -ER GOOD EVERYDAY 4PM-10PI >R EAT-IN ONLY. NO CARRY-OUT! Expires 3/4/91 h mmm mam mam mam aam mm* mm mam amm mam am mm er picke ave people wanting our au raphs. That's definitely not I ason we play, but it does rm du feel that all of the hard wc for a purpose, and that one c ou might become an A merican." Loeber did earn All-Americ 3nors as a freshman and seni e even scored ? somethi hich is unusual for a defender. "It was great getting a goal, le best thing was it couldn't h; ome at a better time," Loe aid. "We were playing Erskine 988 and with just a minute ley led 2-1.1 got a pass from J ,ove and headed it in the net to lings up." That goal forced an overti eriod and the rejuvenated Gai ocks exploded for a 5-2 win. 1 ms Loeber's one and only gi mf hp. rlirl have, two assists I tast year, one each in gar gainst UCLA and Wake Forest Defense, though, is rea .oeber's trademark and he 1 ecognized as the Most Valu< )efensive Player in the Met 1 Classic in 1988. Being a good ensive player is to a large dej i matter of pride, according ^oeber. "You have to put aside wan o push up and trying to score,' ;aid. "You have to concentrate 70ur man and you have to 90 3mm So'Ga IIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIII Advertise in" VLC \ CLC -A ST \602 BUSH RIVER R ?A 798-9026 BELOW DUTCH SQUARE MALL mLmrnrnm /iVi 1YJ AI HJCKLF^'J JHh-Ou^Uutr mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mam mm i FREE! TREET 10RSESH0E) lesser value FREE! 0 M. S. mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm d in first ro to- . yr ne- g*, ?J "hat IT ^ jk USC captain Tommy Loeber den de_ selection in last week's MISL draft. jree aware of what his strengths are. Is ! to he really fast or does he have a good left foot? You have to evaluting ate him in the first five minutes ' he and then you have to try to take > on away his strong point, be "If he has a strong left side you meCock ads are a waste? Then why are you reading one? rhe Gamecock and get results! Call 777-4249 for details. )OK / )THING / ORES Z_ D 4714 FOREST DR. / 787-7022 / BETWEEN RICHLAND*^ FASHION MALL AND TRENHOLM PLAZA. nmm a ~! ^s?s^sE ! 1 Q m z On Sale r? | Through March 6th. 1 I ! , ^ RECORD BAR COL | L???^ J TRACKS COLUJ und of IN Si 5 &. 2 Ia \^^tKKK lonstrates the fine defensive don't let him shoot with that and if he's very fast, you srm him and keep die ball away, defender you must be espec smart," he said. Loeber was not only si rWSHHHHHIIHHHHHHIiHHHHHHI "The United Way days a year, not j they take up th Ajvou BE 3B no V ABC fiflr -~f? ^\r % 1390,91 C =it is THE -j- LAID =I~ OFT You're In For An BUNS IM _\ Startir Fin< I Each and E March at i Sbr * I-20 & Bu Sponsored by Larou> ^ World. Johnette Na] a m e s HACI l_l S I C & VI 033515111! UMBIA Dutch Square Mall MBIA Harden St., Five Points 77S 4ISL draft File photo i ability that earned him a first round foot enough on the field to have the opother portunity to play in a professional As a dally league, he had a 3.2 grade point average and was a Dean's List student this past spring. He plans to nart graduate with an HRTA degree. \?j ? * 'li The United Way Is (list the day The Way Of Love. ie money." .ADIESi THE lUDGEyj^ BUTTS ?z y JT IT... -/= _? -ni FMnao r:nivioi="ri-rinr\i / ; HOTTEST B/ (mMiT fHE YEAR! 3t= EVENT? FULL Experiencel A.. 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