HobbsDailyReport.com
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Two Lenoir-Rhyne University players were tabbed first-team preseason all-conference on Monday, when the Bears were predicted to finish second in South Atlantic Conference (SAC) women’s soccer this season.
Conference coaches picked Carson-Newman, which shared last season’s regular-season title with LRU, to finish first. The Eagles got eight first-place votes and 103 points, and the Bears got two first-place votes and 86 points. Queens, picked to finish fourth, received the other first-place vote.
LRU has won six of the previous seven regular-season SAC titles.
Sophomore midfielder Abigael McGarel of Morristown, Tenn., and senior defender Helen Ramsey of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., were the Bears’ first-team All-SAC picks. Second-team picks for LRU were sophomore forward Hannah Van Eerden of Stocksdale and sophomore defender Christina Shimshock of Asheville.
Last season, McGarel had five goals, two assists and 12 points en route to winning SAC Freshman of the Year. Ramsey anchored a defensive unit that allowed 18 goals in 20 matches, and she was second-team All-SAC.
The Bears were 13-5-2 overall last season and 8-2-1 in the conference.
LRU’s season begins Thursday at 5 p.m. at home against No. 21 Limestone.
SAC WOMEN’S PRE-SEASON SOCCER POLL
1. Carson-Newman (8) 103
2. LENOIR-RHYNE (2) 86
3. Wingate 81
4. Queens (1) 70
5. Tusculum 64
6. Anderson 53
7. Catawba 49
8. Newberry 35
9. Lincoln Memorial 33
10. Coker 17
11. Mars Hill 14
ALL-SAC PRE-SEASON TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
F – Lauren Wade, Carson-Newman
F – Holly Talbut-Smith, Carson-Newman
F – Alyssa Ortega, Newberry
F – Thea Mallett, Queens
MF – Abigael McGarel, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Charlotte Ring, Queens
MF – Breona Tate, Mars Hill
MF – Katja Andersson, Tusculum
D – Helen Seed, Carson-Newman
D – Helen Ramsey, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Mariah Lewis, Queens
D – Carlie Thornber, Tusculum
GK – Jacqueline Burns, Carson-Newman
SECOND TEAM
F – Kimmi Moore, Wingate
F – Hannah Van Eerden, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Becky Frost, Catawba
F – Taylor Leyble, Wingate
MF – Colleen Zickert, Wingate
MF – Sonja Ballmert, Tusculum
MF – Lara Hallgrimsdottir, Carson-Newman
MF – Cheyenne Upton, Tusculum
D – Averi Williams, Carson-Newman
D – Kaitlyn Fletcher, Wingate
D – Christina Shimshock, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Alex Brandan, Carson-Newman
GK – Alexis Jones, Wingate
SEE THE BEARS’ SCHEDULE AT: http://www.lrbears.com/schedule.aspx?path=wsoc