AUGUST 28, 2008
Courtesy of the Middle Atlantic Conferences Office:
KING'S WOMEN'S SOCCER PICKED NINTH IN FREEDOM POLL
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Eastern University has
been chosen as the favorite to win the Freedom Conference crown during
the 2008 women’s soccer season by the conference coaches in the annual
preseason poll. King's was predicted to finish ninth.
Eastern (19-4, 10-0) received 72 points in addition to seven first
place votes. Eastern put together an unbeaten run through the
regular season on their way to a program best 19 wins and their first
PAC title (Pennsylvania Athletic Conference), now known as the CSAC
(Colonial States Athletic Conference). The Eagles advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in their first visit to the
big dance. The Eagles fell to unbeaten 3rd ranked College of New Jersey, 2-0.
Wilkes (9-9-1, 4-2) places second in the poll with 55 points and one
first place vote. Going into the conference tournament, second seeded
Arcadia out scored third seeded Wilkes, 3-2 in penalty kicks to end
Wilkes season. The two teams battled to a 0-0 tie through regulation and
two overtime periods before the match was decided by penalty kicks.
Manhattanville (7-12-3, 5-5-1) finds themselves in third place in the
poll with 59 points after winning the 2007 Freedom title. The Valiants
started the year 0-11-2 playing the nation’s sixth most
difficult non-conference schedule. Manhattanville closed out their
historic season at Westminster, falling 2-0 to the Titans in the first
ever NCAA tournament match in the Valiant women’s soccer program’s 29
year history.
Misericordia (13-9-1, 7-3)
comes in fourth place in the poll with 55 points and one first place
vote. Despite a furious second half rally, the Cougars couldn’t overcome
an early deficit and dropped a 2-1 decision at Centenary in the
Pennsylvania Athletic Conference semifinals. Misericordia missed the PAC
title game for the first time in four years.
FDU-Florham (7-11, 4-4) earns a fifth place mark in the poll while
receiving 46 points. The College at Florham Devils were eliminated from
the conference tournament by virtue of a tie with Delaware Valley and
Manhattanville. With the tie, Delaware Valley earned the fourth seed
because of a head to head win over FDU earlier in the season.
Delaware Valley (7-10-3, 1-3-2)
places sixth in the poll with 35 points.
The Aggies, who reached
postseason play for the second time in the last three years, saw its
season come to an end with a 2-0 loss to top seeded Manhattanville in
the conference semifinals.
DeSales (5-11-1, 2-4)
comes in seventh in the poll with 31points. The Lady Bulldogs missed out
on post season play due to tie breaking rules. This season expect the
DeSales to make a hard push for a top finish and break into post season
play.
Alvernia (6-9-3, 3-6-1) comes in eights place in the poll with 26
points. Alvernia enters their first season in the Freedom Conference
after participating in the PAC (Pennsylvania Athletic Conference).
King’s (3-15-1, 1-5) finds themselves in ninth place with 20 points. The
Lady Monarchs, under the direction of first-year head coach Maria Bustin,
return second team all-conference player Rachael Donatiello, along with
several other experienced players, including fellow team captain Sara
Coletta. This season the Lady Monarchs are hoping the youth they played
with the past two seasons will translate into quality experience as the
team will look to improve on its conference finish.
Freedom Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Eastern 72 points (7)
2. Wilkes 55 points (1)
3. Manhattanville 59 points
4. Misericordia 55 points (1)
5. FDU-Florham 46 points
6. Delaware Valley 35 points
7. DeSales 31 points
8. Alvernia 26 points
9. King’s 20 points
( ) first place votes in parentheses
