Eastern Michigan Athletics
Soccer Picked to Finish Tied For Sixth in MAC
8/20/2008 9:24:20 AM | Soccer
Head coach Scott Hall’s team returns nine starters from last season
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Eastern Michigan University women’s soccer team was picked to finish in a tie for sixth place in the Mid-American Conference as voted on by the head coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday, Aug. 20. The Eagles return 14 letterwinners, including nine starters from last year’s 7-8-4 team.
Toledo, the 2007 MAC Tournament winner, was picked to win both the regular season and tournament titles this year. UT returns eight starters from last year, when the Rockets posted a 14-6-3 overall mark. Ball State, last season’s regular season title winner, was picked to finish second this year. The Cardinals return 15 letterwinners from a team that allowed only five goals in conference action last season. Bowling Green, Miami and Ohio were picked to finish third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois tied for the sixth spot, with Central Michigan, Kent State, Buffalo, Akron and Western Michigan rounding out the poll.
EMU returns five All-MAC performers from last year’s fifth-place finishing squad. All-MAC first team selections Katie Zundel (Utica, Mich.-Henry Ford II) and Ashley Rodrigues (Pickering, Ont.-St. Mary’s Catholic) return, along with All-Freshman team members Maggie Manville (Chelsea, Mich.-Chelsea) and Stephanie Janssens (Novi, Mich.-Novi). Junior Maggie Christensen (Orland Park, Ill.-AA Stagg) received second team honors last season, but will miss the 2008 season with an injury.
The Eagles open up the 2008 season at Scicluna Field against the University of Michigan, Sunday, Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Ann Arbor, but construction on the new U-M soccer complex is not complete. The game between the county rivals marks the first time since 2002 the two teams have faced each other.
2008 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Toledo
2. Ball State
3. Bowling Green
4. Miami
5. Ohio
T6. Eastern Michigan
T6. Northern Illinois
8. Central Michigan
9. Kent State
10. Buffalo
11. Akron
12. Western Michigan
