Conference Carolinas

Belmont Abbey Women’s Soccer Team Favored in Preseason Poll

8/22/2014 12:00:00 AM

 

HIGH POINT, N.C. - The Belmont Abbey Crusaders have been voted the preseason favorite in the 2014 – 2015 women's soccer coaches' preseason poll.

The Belmont Abbey women's soccer team is ranked 19th nationally in the preseason poll conducted by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Belmont Abbey was ranked 17th in the NSCAA final poll of 2013.

Belmont Abbey finished the 2013 season with a record of 15-4-4, which saw the Crusaders advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since the field was expanded to 48 teams. It was the first time the Abbey had advanced past the second round in school history, and the 15 wins were the most since the 2010 season.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Crusaders defeated Pfeiffer, 3-0 in the first round and then defeated Lenoir-Rhyne on a 7-6 penalty kick score after the two teams battled to a 1-1 draw. In the round of 16, the Crusaders fell to the host Wingate Bulldogs by a 2-0 score. The women's soccer program will celebrate its 20th season in 2014, which begins with a home match against Alabama-Huntsville on September 4.

Pfeiffer University, the reigning Conference Carolinas Tournament Champion, has been picked to finish second in the 2014 Conference Carolinas preseason poll. Head Coach Elijah Denton has guided Pfeiffer to the NCAA Tournament twice and posted double-digit win totals in four of his first five years at the helm.

Highlighting the returners are Conference Carolinas Tournament MVP and first- team All-Conference performer, Kayla Rodriguez. First-team All-Conference defender Kaitlin Sampson returns, as well as the previous two Conference Carolinas Freshmen of the Year recipients in Brae Buster (2013) and Aaliyah Jackson (2012).

Led by 10 scoring strikes from Buster, Pfeiffer led the conference with 51 goals scored in 2013. Buster also led the Falcons in points, shots and shots on goal in her rookie season and her goal in penalty kicks of the championship game against Belmont Abbey clinched a Conference Tournament title and sent the Falcons to the NCAA Tournament.

Finishing third in the preseason poll, Lees-McRae shoots for its fourth consecutive Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championship. The Bobcats have a team that includes 17 returning players, including nine starters. Conference Carolinas All-Conference first-team representatives Meagan Thornton and Sarah Mahar return to coach Nick Whiting's squad as well as senior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Briggs. Briggs was a dominant force, not only in the conference, but nationally when she posted 0.63 goals against average while leading the Bobcats to a 10-match unbeaten streak and 837:41 minutes of shutout soccer.

The poll was rounded out with Barton finishing fourth, followed by: Limestone, King, Converse, Mount Olive, North Greenville, and Erskine respectively.

Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Preseason Poll

(Number of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)