Bearcats are Eighth in NWC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team has been picked eighth in the 2014 Northwest Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's head coaches. University of Puget, which claimed its 12th consecutive NWC title last season, was chosen to repeat as champion.
SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team has been picked eighth in the 2014 Northwest Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's head coaches. University of Puget, which claimed its 12th consecutive NWC title last season, was chosen to repeat as champion.
Puget Sound, which is ranked #12 in the national NCAA Division III Preseason Poll released by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), finished last year with a 17-3-2 overall record, including 13-1-2 in the NWC. The Loggers won two NCAA Tournament games before losing in the third round.
In this year's Preseason Poll, Puget Sound received eight first place votes and 72 points. Ranked second in the poll was Pacific Lutheran University (11-4-5, 9-2-5 NWC) with 54 points. Linfield College (15-4-1, 11-4-1) was ranked third with 51 points. The Wildcats return Emily Fellows, who is Linfield's all-time leading scorer.
Lewis & Clark College (10-9-1, 7-8-1 NWC) was listed fourth with 42 points, while Whitworth University (7-7-6, 4-6-6 NWC) was fifth with 33 points. Pacific University (9-8-3, 6-8-2 NWC) held sixth place with 30 points.
Whitman College (11-9-0, 7-9-0 NWC) was seventh with 25 points. Willamette (5-12-3, 3-10-3 NWC) followed in eighth with 14 points. The Bearcats were 3-3-3 in the final nine games of the 2013 season. George Fox (3-15-2, 1-13-2 NWC) completed the poll in ninth place with 12 points.
Head Coach Hillary Arthur of Willamette is in her seventh season with the Bearcats. Her squad is led by returning Second Team All-NWC selection Sarah Desautels (Sr., MF/F, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Park HS), who scored four goals and added two assists last season.
Rachel Fleener (Jr., F, Olympia, WA/Olympia HS) also scored four goals for the Bearcats. Desautels and Fleener each played in all 20 games for the Bearcats.
In goal for the Bearcats will be Emily Sewall (So., Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS), who had a solid freshman season in 2013. She achieved a 0.65 goals against average, as she allowed just five goals in seven games and 690 minutes played. She finished the year with a .881 save percentage and a 1-3-3 record.
Willamette begins the season this weekend with two games hosted by California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The Bearcats will take on University of Redlands (Calif.) on Friday, Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. (PDT) and will play California Lutheran on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. (PDT).
2014 NWC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll (1st place votes in parentheses)
1. Puget Sound (8), 72 points, 17-3-2 overall, 13-1-2 NWC in 2013
2. Pacific Lutheran (1), 54 points, 11-4-5, 9-2-5 NWC
3. Linfield College, 51 points, 15-4-1, 11-4-1 NWC
4. Lewis & Clark College, 42 points, 10-9-1, 7-8-1 NWC
5. Whitworth, 33 points, 7-7-6, 4-6-6 NWC
6. Pacific, 30 points, 9-8-3, 6-8-2 NWC
7. Whitman, 25 points, 11-9-0, 7-9-0 NWC
8. Willamette, 14 points, 5-12-3, 3-10-3 NWC
9. George Fox, 12 points, 3-15-2, 1-13-2 NWC
Note: Points were awarded on a 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each coach was not allowed to vote for his/her own team.
Sarah Desautels led the Bearcats with four goals and two assists last season. She earned Second Team All-NWC honors.