Women's Soccer selected sixth in MASCAC preseason poll

2015 MASCAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll

North Adams, MA- The MCLA Women's Soccer has been selected to finish sixth in the MASCAC as the league office released its preseason poll this afternoon.  The Trailblazers are under the direction of long time coach Deb Raber and open play on Tuesday, September 1st.

The Worcester State Lancers have been picked to win the 2015 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference women's soccer championship as selected by the coaches from around the league.Last year's MASCAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions earned five of eight first place votes for 46 points.

The Lancers return 2014 MASCAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP Alicia Macomber who finished last season with 18 goals and six assists for 42 points while helping Worcester State to a perfect 7-0 record in conference play.

Landing in the second slot is Westfield State, who nabbed 43 points in the poll and the final three first place votes. The Owls closed out last season with a 5-1-1 record in league play. Back for the squad is Katy Knight, a MASCAC First Team All-Conference honoree, who helped the Owls hold their opponents to a 1.35 goals against average on the year.

Tied in the third slot are Bridgewater State and Framingham State with 33 points. The Bears tallied three wins in MASCAC play during the 2014 season. Mackenzie Hatfield led the team last season with 14 goals and three assists for 31 points while also tallying five game winners. The Rams closed out 2014 with a 5-2 record in league play. The team looks to Second Team All-Conference winners Michaela Hyland and Angela Pallotta to lead the Rams this year.

Up next in fifth and sixth are Salem State and MCLA with 30 and 19 points, respectively. The Vikings finished the 2014 MASCAC schedule with a 4-2-1 record. Returning in goal, Rachel Ledbetter led the conference in save percentage (.877), goals against average (0.81) and third in saves (100). The Trailblazers earned two wins in league play during the 2014 season. Jacklyn Dwyer led the team with four goals.

Closing out the 2015 preseason poll are Fitchburg State and Massachusetts Maritime in seventh and eighth, respectively. The Falcons tallied 13 points while the Buccaneers collected seven. Fitchburg State returns Samantha Zina, who was a Second Team All-Conference honoree and tallied two goals and an assist on the year. Massachusetts Maritime's goalie Katie Levesque returns after a 2014 campaign that saw her lead the MASCAC in saves at 151 and second in save percentage at .799 while also earning a spot on the MASCAC First Team All-Conference squad.

The women's soccer season begins on Tuesday, September 1 with Bridgewater State and MCLA competing in non-conference action.