By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team has been chosen to finish fifth in the Northwest Conference standings this season, according to the 2017 NWC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, as voted by the league's head coaches. Pacific Lutheran University was picked to repeat as the NWC champion.
Willamette starts regular season play on Friday, Sept. 1, when the Bearcats will host Northwest Christian University. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (PDT) at Sparks Field.
Pacific Lutheran topped the NWC Preseason Poll with eight of nine first place votes and 72 points. PLU won last season's NWC title with a 13-0-3 record to end the University of Puget Sound's run of 14 consecutive championships. The Lutes were 16-1-4 overall. Machaela Graddy, who was named NWC Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, returns to lead the Lutes as a senior this season. Graddy put in 13 goals and earned eight assists last year, while leading the NWC in goals and total points (34).
Following PLU in the poll was Puget Sound with 54 points. The Loggers finished last fall at 10-3-3 in the NWC and 13-4-3 overall. Whitworth was third in the poll with one first place vote and 50 points. The Pirates were 9-7-0 in the NWC a year ago to go along with a 10-10-0 overall mark.
Linfield College held onto fourth place in the poll with 40 points, after going 8-5-3 in the NWC and 8-9-3 overall last year. Willamette was fifth in the poll with 34 points. The Bearcats achieved a 6-7-3 record in NWC action and concluded the year at 9-8-3 overall. WU earned a 5-3-2 record during the final 10 games of the season -- all against NWC opponents.
George Fox University was sixth in the poll, as the Bruins received 25 points. GFU went 3-11-2 in the NWC in 2016 and was 3-14-3 overall. Ranked seventh in the poll was Lewis & Clark College with 22 points. Last season, L&C went 5-9-2 in the NWC and 6-12-2 overall.
Pacific University, which tied Lewis & Clark for sixth place in the NWC last season at 5-9-2, was picked eighth in this year's preseason poll with 21 points. The Boxers finished 2016 with a 7-10-3 overall record. Whitman College was listed ninth in the poll with 15 points. The Blues were 3-11-2 in NWC matches a year ago and went 3-15-2 overall.
As the Bearcats enter the regular season, they are led by Emmy Manset (Sr., F, Ventura, CA/Foothill Technology HS), who ranked first on the team with seven goals and 14 total points in 2016. She tied for fourth place in the NWC in goal scoring and tied for sixth in total scoring. Manset was selected First Team All-NWC. Shanna Keil (So., M, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) is back for WU after scoring three goals and one assist as a freshman last year. Kelsey Walker (Sr., M, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) also returns after missing the final 12 games of last season due to an injury. She scored three goals an recorded one assist while starting each of the first eight games.
Kristen Barclay (Fr., GK, Kenmore, WA/Cedar Park Christian School) played 14 games in goal last year with seven starts for the Bearcats. She earned a 6-4-2 record in the nets, while achieving a 0.85 goals against average and making 47 saves.
2017 NWC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll (1st place votes in parentheses)
1. Pacific Lutheran (8), 72 points, 16-1-4 overall, 13-0-3 in NWC in 2016
2. Puget Sound, 54 points, 13-4-3 overall, 10-3-3 in NWC
3. Whitworth (1), 50 points, 10-10-0 overall, 9-7-0 in NWC
4. Linfield, 40 points, 8-9-3 overall, 8-5-3 in NWC
5. Willamette, 34 points, 9-8-3 overall, 6-7-3 in NWC
6. George Fox, 25 points, 3-14-3 overall, 3-11-2 in NWC
7. Lewis & Clark, 22 points, 6-12-2 overall, 5-9-2 in NWC
8. Pacific, 21 points, 7-10-3 overall, 5-9-2 in NWC
9. Whitman, 15 ponits, 3-15-2 overall, 3-11-2 in NWC
Note: Points were awarded on an 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own team.
