Va. Wesleyan Heads Tightly Packed Women’s Soccer Poll

LC, RC, WLU Separated by 15 Points from the Top

August 27, 2008

SALEM, Va. --- Only 15 points separate the first team from the fourth squad in the 2008 ODAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll. Virginia Wesleyan College picked up a half-dozen first place votes on its way to leading the annual coaches’ survey with 134 points.  Lynchburg, the 2007 conference champion, collected 127 points and four top tallies with Roanoke College and Washington and Lee University each receiving one first place nod towards 123 and 119 points, respectively.

Lynchburg proved the eventual champion of the 2007 ODAC tournament by a 2-0 score at Roanoke.  The Hornets were joined by at-large selections Roanoke and Virginia Wesleyan in the NCAA tournament.  All three squads made it through the first round with Lynchburg beating Maryville (1-0), Roanoke trouncing Methodist (3-1) and Virginia Wesleyan defeating Johns Hopkins (2-0).  York got the best of the Marlins in the second round, 1-0, and a Betsy Kwiatkowski second-half goal sent the Hornets past the Maroons into the Round of 16.  Lynchburg continued its march in the tournament on its home turf with a 2-1 victory over Emory, but its run ended just one win away from the national semifinals with a 1-0 loss to The College of New Jersey.

Virginia Wesleyan (15-2-4 overall, 10-0-1 ODAC in 2007) put six players on the All-ODAC teams last year including five first team choices, but the Marlins only return junior forward Jen Colwell from that group.  She tallied four goals to go with three assists.  The cupboard is far from bare after Colwell as VWC welcomes back five other double-digit scorers from 2007.  Juniors Nicki Mazzoccone (5 goals, 2 asst.) and Stacy Zeiler (4 goals, 5 asst.) return to the midfield along with sophomore Bonnie Braziel (7 goals, 1 asst.).  Fellow second year standouts Courtney Whorten (7 goals, 8 asst.) and Kelly Higgins (7 goals) join Colwell up front.

Lynchburg (19-4-3, 8-2-1) also saw six athletes garner All-ODAC honors including a pair of first teamers.  The Hornets welcome back Betsy Kwiatkowski, the 2007 Rookie of the Year and first team choice.  The second year striker led the league in points (54) and goals scored (22) while sharing the assists crown with three other players (10).  Lynchburg also returns a pair of junior second team selections in midfielder Ashley Hoath (9 goals, 3 asst.) and defender Katelyn LeRiche (1 assist).

Roanoke (18-4-1, 10-1-0) and 2007 ODAC Coach of the Year, Phil Benne, return the top six scorers from a season ago including All-ODAC first team senior forwards, Meredith Grunewald (11 goals, 10 asst.) and Kristen McCoy (15 goals, 1 asst).  Junior Margaret Houston (10 goals, 1 asst) and seniors Tami Alcalde (6 goals, 2 asst.) and Melissa Laughlin (3 goals, 5 asst.) join the attack up top while sophomore McKenzie Garst (5 goals, 3 asst.) provides a force from her defensive role.  Sophomore midfielder Jessica Welfare (3 goals, 1 asst.) joined Grunewald and McCoy on the All-ODAC first team.

Washington and Lee (16-4-0, 9-2-0) also greets three returning first team performers including leading scorer, Anne Van Devender.  The senior striker finished second in the conference with 40 points on 15 goals and 10 assists.  She was joined on the first team by junior Roz Klann (8 goals, 1 asst.) and senior Marisa Van Brunt (5 goals, 1 asst.).

The 2008 campaign kicks off on Friday, August 29.  The ODAC Championship is set for Saturday, November 8 at a site to be determined by the season’s outcome.

Listed below is the 2008 ODAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll.  For more information on women’s soccer, visit the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com or any of the school websites.

2008 ODAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll

(#) Denotes first place votes