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Independence Sign Midfielder Taublieb

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 03/14/17, 4:29PM EDT

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Former Menace player reunited with Jeffries in Charlotte


Photo courtesy Charlotte Independence

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Independence announced on Tuesday the signing of midfielder Zev Taublieb. The signing is pending league and federation approval.

“The professionalism here is very high,” said Taublieb. “I really felt that by coming here, I could grow as a player and help the team reach their big goals of winning a championship. The players and the coaching staff are a great bunch of guys.”

In 2016, Taublieb played for Wilmington Hammerheads FC, where he made 21 appearances and logged 1,067 minutes. A year prior, the New York City native played his rookie campaign with Sacramento Republic FC, where he scored one goal. In 2013, Taublieb played for Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries at the Premier Development League’s Des Moines Menace.

"Zev's got a great soccer brain," said Jeffries. "He understands the game and reads plays pretty well. I think his movement and ability to connect in the middle of the field are big positives."

In his collegiate career at Valparaiso University, Taublieb appeared in 65 matches, starting 59. A captain his senior year for Valpo, the team finished with an 8-5-6 record, the most wins for the program since 2011. That season Taublieb was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team, and was an NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region Second Team, and First-Team All-American by the Jewish Sports Review.

The 23-year-old has prior connections with a couple Independence teammates. His first career goal came off the rebound of a shot by former Sacramento and current Charlotte midfielder, David Estrada. Additionally, Taublieb began his career with Republic FC at the same time as Independence captain, Bilal Duckett.

“I remember the David Estrada goal very well because it was my first professional goal and because when it happened I should've been running to the near-post and David beat me to it,” said Taublieb. “Luckily, I didn't have to do anything and I got to tap it in.

“Bilal and I were together when I was at Sacramento]. Coach Jeffries called me because I played under Mike [Jeffries] at Des Moines and asked me what I thought of Bilal. Obviously, I said great things because he's a great player and Mike knows what he's doing.

“Now I’m here with both of them. It was unexpected.” 

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