WOMEN'S SOCCER FOURTH IN WVIAC POLL

PRINCETON, WV - The Davis & Elkins women's soccer team has been voted to finish fourth by the league's coaches in 2012.

With 111 total points and five first-place votes, the West Virginia Wesleyan women's soccer team has been selected to win the WVIAC Championship, as voted on by the league's coaches.

The Bobcats claimed the 2011 WVIAC regular-season title before being upended in the WVIAC Tournament semifinals.

Following WVWC was 2011 WVIAC Tournament Champion and NCAA participant Alderson-Broaddus. The Battlers registered five first-place votes en route to 109 total points in the poll. The University of Charleston registered the other first-place vote and finished third in the preseason rankings with 93 total points.

The Golden Eagles edged Davis & Elkins, which totaled 92 points. The Senators boasted five third-place votes on the ballots. D&E is coming off a banner season that saw the team reach the tournament championship.

Shepherd is fifth in the preseason poll after totaling 74 points. The Rams earned one third-place nod and two fourth-place finishes on the ballots.

Concord was selected sixth with 64 total points. The Mountain Lions received two fourth-place votes. Wheeling Jesuit was chosen seventh with 58 points. The Cardinals garnered one third-place vote.

Seton Hill earned 49 points, which was good enough for eighth in the preseason rankings. West Liberty, which will be competing as a varsity sport for the first time, picked up 33 points and was selected to finish ninth.

Ohio Valley (23 points) and Pitt-Johnstown (20 points) rounded out the WVIAC women's soccer preseason poll.

The Bobcats are guided by senior defenders Aleisha Rees and Emma Levin-Neilsen. Rees picked up first-team all-conference honors last year while Levin-Neilsen garnered second-team accolades. The duo helped WVWC allow just 1.07 goals per game in 2011. From her defensive position, Rees was second on the team a season ago with six points on two goals and two assists. Both goals that Rees tallied were game-winning scores. She and Neilsen each started all 17 contests.

The Battlers return a dynamic duo of Kate Laird and Megan Johnson. Laird, the WVIAC Player of the Year in 2011, posted 101 saves and registered a 0.86 goals against average. Johnson, a first-team all-conference selection, was second on the team with three assists from her defender position. Both will help A-B vie for a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Golden Eagles boast former WVIAC Freshman of the Year and two-time NSCAA all-region honoree Kimberly D'Angelo. Alongside her, Holly Bigg picked up all-region honors as a rookie in 2011. Both earned first-team all-conference honors. Bigg totaled 15 points on six goals and three assists while D'Angelo totaled 14 points on five goals and four assists.

The Senators have a pair of returning first-team all-conference selections in seniors Allison Dant and Sarah Fyock. Dant totaled four points on a goal and two assists from her defensive spot. Fyock was third on the squad with 16 points on seven goals and two assists. Two goals were game winners.

The Rams' line-up is bolstered by Kasey Cantebury and Kelsey Jo Smith. Cantebury accounted for an assist from her midfield spot, but started in 17 matches in 2011. Smith earned second-team all-conference honors a year ago. She led the squad with seven goals and 15 points as a rookie.

The Mountain Lions return Erika Hoff and Sami Spertzel. Hoff was third on the 2011 squad with nine points. She amassed four goals and an assist. Spertzel started 12 matches and dished out two assists from her position.

The Cardinals could be in for a tremendous season with the return of Allison Geary and Ashley McGinnis. Geary tied for the team lead with six goals, one of which was a game winner. Her 12 points were the second most on WJU's squad a season ago. McGinnis registered three goals and two assists for eight points and had a game-winning goal as well.

The Griffins will be guided by veterans Mackeish Taylor and Alysha Alaimo. The duo each started 17 matches a season ago. Taylor found the back of the net six times, three of which accounted for game-winning goals. She also added two assists. Alaimo totaled two game-winners on three goals in 2011.

The Hilltoppers' first-year program under head coach Barry Christmas carries eight upperclassmen and 13 total student-athletes that are at least sophomores. Marissa Pattison and Jaymee McDougle have collegiate experience. WLU has three non-conference contests before facing its first WVIAC squad.

The Fighting Scots boast returners Amanda Simpson and Annie Campbell. The pair started all 17 matches for the Fighting Scots a season ago. Simpson led the squad with seven points on three goals and an assist. Campbell will once again be in charge of directing the midfield for OVU.

The Lady Cats return Laura Hoehn, who redshirted a season ago, and Kelsey Richardson. Both student-athletes are three-year starters. Richardson started 11 matches a season ago. She had a goal and helped shut down opposing squads. In 2010, Hoehn started 12 matches and scored four points off a goal and two assists.