Puget Sound Heavy Favorite for Lucky Number Seven
| NWC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll:
| 2007 records
|
| School
| (1st)
| Pts.
| All
| NWC
|
| 1. Puget Sound (Wash.)
| (8)
| 88
| 21-1-1
| 14-1-1
|
| 2. Whitworth (Wash.)
| (1)
| 72
| 18-3
| 14-2
|
| 3. Whitman (Wash.)
|
| 57
| 10-7-2
| 9-5-2
|
| 4. George Fox (Ore.)
|
| 52
| 12-6-2
| 9-5-2
|
| 5. Willamette (Ore.)
|
| 44
| 8-9-2
| 7-7-2
|
| 6. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)
|
| 31
| 5-13-2
| 4-11-1
|
| 6. Pacific (Ore.)
|
| 31
| 5-14-1
| 3-13
|
| 8. Linfield (Ore.)
|
| 30
| 6-11-2
| 5-10-1
|
| 9. Lewis & Clark (Ore.)
|
| 11
| 2-14-2
| 2-13-1
|
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on
10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
The University of Puget Sound is favored by
Northwest Conference women's soccer coaches to tie the league's
record for consecutive conference titles this season. The Loggers,
who have won six NWC championships in a row, are a strong favorite
to win their seventh straight crown. That would tie UPS with
Willamette University (1993-1999) for most consecutive women's
soccer championships in league history.
Puget Sound, which finished 21-1-1 overall and
advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals last year, returns
the 2007 NWC Offensive Player of the Year in junior forward Janece
Levien and the 2007 NWC Defensive Player of the Year in junior
keeper Kallie Wolfer. The Loggers, who received eight of the nine
first place votes and totaled 88 points in the poll, graduated
three-time All-NWC forward Adrienne Folsom.
Whitworth University picked up the other first
place vote and is second in the poll with 72 points. The Pirates,
who finished 18-3 last season and one point behind UPS in the final
standings, return a pair of All-NWC defenders in sophomore Kaylyn
Plumb and senior Kelly Baker. But Whitworth graduated four-time
All-NWC midfielder Jael Hagerott.
Whitman College (57 points) finished just ahead of
George Fox University (52) for third place in the poll. The teams
tied for third in the final standings in 2007. All-NWC midfielder
Corina Gabbert (Jr.) and Second Team All-NWC keeper Courtney
Porterwill lead Whitman, while defender Melissa Leighty and
midfielder Nicole Akiu, who each earned Second Team All-NWC honors
as freshmen in 2007, will lead the Bruins.
Willamette University is fifth in the poll with 44
points. The Bearcats welcome back All-NWC senior forward Lauren
Miller.
Pacific Lutheran University (31 points) and Pacific
University tied for sixth in the poll, only one point ahead of
Linfield College (30). Junior forward Monica Beard, who led PLU in
scoring last season, returns for the Lutes. Likewise, sophomore
forward Ashley Kanda returns as the leading scorer for Pacific.
Senior midfielder Stephanie Caster is the leading returning scorer
for Linfield.
Lewis & Clark College is ninth in the poll with
11 points. New head coach Steve Golas will have 11 new players
joining the 14 Pioneer returnees from 2007.
The 2008 season kicks off on August 29th.