UNCP Picked To Finish Fourth In PBC Preseason Coaches' Poll
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AUGUSTA, Ga. – The UNCP women's soccer team was picked to finish fourth in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced Monday afternoon.
Co-2010 champion Armstrong was picked to repeat alone by the league's coaches after totaling five first-place votes and 95 total. Columbus State, which has garnered at least a share of the conference championship for six straight years, was picked to finish second after totaling 93 votes while also receiving four first-place votes.
The Braves garnered a total of 78 votes which left them two votes behind the coaches' third-place pick, North Georgia. Following UNCP was Lander (fifth), Georgia College (sixth), Montevallo (seventh), Clayton State and Flagler (tied for eighth), USC Aiken (10th) and Georgia Southwestern (11th).
UNCP rode a record-setting defense to a third-place finish in last year's PBC regular season standings and its second trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons. It owned a defensive unit that finished the season with a UNCP-record 14 clean sheets and ninth-place national finish with a .636 shutout percentage. Coach Lars Andersson's squad also finished¬ second in the country with a .913 saves percentage and they closed out the year with a .50 goals against average – good for 12th in the country.
Junior central defender Fanny Forsman and sophomore keeper Britney Bennett were both named to the PBC Preseason All-Conference Team last week with Bennett being the league's unanimous choice at goalkeeper. Forsman ended her sophomore campaign by being named NSCAA Third Team All-Region as well as Second Team All-PBC, and Bennett's maiden-season accolades included being named First Team All-PBC, PBC Freshman of the Year, Daktronics Second Team All-Regiona and NSCAA Third Team All-Region.
Rebecca Womack, the team's lone senior in 2011, was named to the PBC All-Tournament Team last season.
UNCP kicks off its regular season on September 1 when the squad travels to Wilson to battle with the Barton Bulldogs.
|
Team |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
10th |
Total |
|
1. Armstrong Atlantic State |
5 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
95 |
|
2. Columbus State |
4 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
93 |
|
3. North Georgia |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
78 |
|
4. UNC Pembroke |
0 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
76 |
|
5. Lander |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
56 |
|
6. Georgia College |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
55 |
|
7. Montevallo |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
49 |
|
t8. Clayton State |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
36 |
|
t8. Flagler |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
36 |
|
10. USC Aiken |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
17 |
|
11. Georgia Southwestern |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
14 |