Peachtree City Sign Memphis Defender Artur Luca and NIU Goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic

Given the circumstances of the last two seasons, it is no wonder MOBA have been targeting quality defensive talent during the off-season. Defense being a key point of focus going into 2018 under manager Omar Jarun, one can only expect to see a massive growth in the strength of Peachtree City’s back four, and slowly but surely they are putting together the pieces to build a strong wall in the defensive third. The future is very bright for the club, and MOBA’s latest signings continue to build that potential.

Artur Luca - Defender - University of Memphis

A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Luca made his collegiate debut for San Jacinto College in Texas in 2017. In thirteen matches with San Jacinto, Luca made a massive impact with the minutes he played, as the team went 10-3 with him on the pitch, including two clean sheets and six one-goal matches. While Luca did not play in three matches in the middle of the season, he did start the following six as the club went on a nine-match win streak that included a 6-0 win against Paris Junior College and a 15-2 win against Northeast Texas Community College. San Jac only allowed twenty goals in the matches Luca played in, which speaks wonders to his skill set. Thanks to his performances in Pasadena, Luca signed a National Letter of Intent to transfer to the University of Memphis in 2018 on a full athletic scholarship.

A stout defender with experience in the US collegiate system as well as in Brazil, Luca brings a lot to the table for Peachtree City. If he can win a spot in the eighteen, he will most definitely be a talent to look for in 2018 alongside Joshua Barkoff, as both players can benefit greatly from Omar Jarun's defensive intellect. A lot still remains to be seen, and a number of signings are still to be made, but the full picture is starting to come together, and one can only get excited about the state of 2018.

Konrad Dziedzic - Goalkeeper - Northern Illinois University

Out of Schiller Park, Illinois, goalkeeper Konrad Dziedzic experienced a very prestigious youth career in the Prairie State. From 2010 to 2012, Dziedzic played for the ODP (Olympic Development Program) Region II team before joining Chicago Magic PSG and entering the US Soccer Development Academy. During his five years with the Magic, Dziedzic helped lead his club to third place in the USSDA Playoffs in 2014, and was named the #1 U16 goalkeeper in the USSDA Central Conference. As a result of his stellar play for Chicago, Dziedzic was called up to the US U18 National Team training camp in October 2014.

Following high school, Dziedzic committed to West Virginia University, however after red-shirting his freshman year and not seeing any playing time his sophomore year, he transferred to Northern Illinois University, where he saw significantly more action. During the 2017 season, Dziedzic made eleven starts for the Huskies, recording forty-nine saves between the sticks. Clearly a keeper with a lot of talent, Dziedzic saw worse statistics than he would of liked, mostly due to playing behind a back line that could not keep the opposing attackers off of him. On average, Dziedzic faced 17.18 shots per match, which is significantly more than most goalkeepers would face. Those high totals would hurt his numbers, as he ended the season with a 2.56 GAA and a 62.8 save percentage. Despite the statistics, Dziedzic did record one clean sheet and three one-goal matches, and picked up an assist in a 3-2 defeat to Valparaiso.

Despite what the score-sheet says, Dziedzic is an extremely talented goalkeeper who has the potential to make an impact in the PDL. He does have international training experience with top-level teams in Macedonia, as well as the Macedonian National Team, which should benefit him greatly if he wins the starting spot. With the spring season coming up, Dziedzic has time to get some quality starts under his belt before coming down south to join up with MOBA.

#MOBAProud
Photo Courtesy: MOBA Soccer Academy, Northern Illinois University

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