Thursday, August 7, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore.– The top two women’s soccer teams in the GNAC last year have found themselves in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) pre-season poll.

Western Washington, which went all the way to the national semifinals in 2013, came in the poll at No. 3 while regional finals participant and reigning GNAC champion Seattle Pacific closes out the poll at No. 25.

Western Washington graduated 2013 GNAC Player of the Year Kristin Maris but brings back 10 upper classmen including six starters and GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Brianna Jones.

Western led the conference in points, goals and assists last year, but the Viking defense, which ranked ninth in the nation in goals against average, carried them to a 20-2-1 record in 2013.

Returnees include first team GNAC junior forward Catherine Miles, who led the conference in goals (15) and total points (33), and first team GNAC senior midfielder Kim Cooper.

SPU returns nine starters after upsetting Western Washington in penalty kicks in last year’s conference championship game.

First team GNAC and junior midfielder Laura Moore, along with six other all-conference selectees, look to improve on their 15-6-1 record.

SPU starts its season at home against UC San Diego on Sept. 4 while Western Washington starts its season Aug. 22 with an exhibition game at British Columbia.