LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's soccer team was voted ninth in the Centennial Conference preseason poll.
The Bears received 24 points from the league's head coaches, landing in front of Washington College (22) and Bryn Mawr (11). Johns Hopkins topped the prognostication with 99 points and nine first-place votes, while defending champion Swarthmore obtained the other two first-place votes to take second with 91 points. McDaniel (76) was third and Haverford (74) fourth, followed by Dickinson (61), Gettysburg (59), Muhlenberg (48), and Franklin & Marshall (39) ahead of Ursinus.
With an experienced core and an influx of talented newcomers, second-year head coach Aileen Ascolese is confident that the Bears have the tools to make some headway in an always challenging conference.
It starts in the back with sophomore goalkeeper Sabrina Doherty, who received All-CC honorable mention after a stellar rookie season that saw her post an .833 save percentage and 1.06 goals-against average in seven games (six starts); she also played some forward and even scored a goal for the Bears. The Bears lost much of their defensive nucleus, but sophomore Zoe Tesone was a regular starter a year ago and provides a strong presence in front of Doherty. Sophomore Avery Webster played in nine games with two starts as a rookie.
Senior Jenna Endy, junior Cailey Sanchez, and sophomores Angela Gervasi and Caitlin O'Neill all received starts in the midfield last season, giving Ursinus a cohesive unit to rely upon.
Up top, senior Mackenzie Groff brings 26 career points (10 goals, 6 assists) with her to the forward spot after tying for the team lead with three markers a year ago. Classmate Bridget Rauh (one goal) started 11 games and sophomore Emma Russell played in all 15 contests with six starts as a first-year forward. Sophomore Rachel Coleman also started six games on the front line, and senior Kasey Sheahan recorded a team-leading two assists from her attacking midfield slot.
The Bears open the 2018 campaign at Keystone on August 31.