Bruins Aim to Surpass Prediction of 8th in NWC Pre-Season Women’s Soccer Poll

NEWBERG, Ore. - Despite the loss of four starters, including four-time All-Conference scoring star Jenny McKinsey, George Fox University women’s soccer coach Andy Hetherington believes the Bruins will have enough firepower to surpass a prediction of eighth place for his team in the 2010 Northwest Conference pre-season coaches’ poll.

George Fox is coming off a 7-12 campaign in 2009 and an eight-place finish in the NWC with a 4-11 record (the final game of the season was postponed at halftime due to a flooded field with the Bruins leading 1-0 over Pacific Lutheran University).  The Bruins picked up 19 points in balloting by the league’s nine coaches. 

McKinsey, a Second Team All-NWC selection last year, finished first on the all-time George Fox career list in assists (20), second in points (80), and third in goals (30) in only three seasons.  However, the Bruins do return All-NWC honorable mention forward Kirsten Cardwell, a senior who had seven goals and three assists last season, along with midfielder Esther Harder, who contributed three goals and five assists as a freshman.  The defense will be anchored by All-NWC First Team choice Nicole Akiu and team captain Melissa Leighty, both seniors.

The University of Puget Sound is favored to win its ninth consecutive NWC championship after collecting every first-place vote and a maximum of 90 points in the poll.  The Loggers, who finished 18-2 overall and 15-1 in the NWC, must replace Janece Levien, the only four-time NWC Offensive Player of the Year in conference history.  Goalkeeper Kallie Wolfer, the 2010 NWC Defensive Player of the Year, also graduated.  But the UPS defense will be led by All-NWC honorees Abby Goss and Serwaah Fordjour, while All-NWC forward Jenny Moore sparks the offense.

Whitworth University was picked second on all nine ballots and had 72 points.  The Pirates, who handed UPS its only conference loss last season, return All-NWC midfielders Elizabeth Mattila and Sidonia Davin among its nine returning starters.  Willamette University was third in the poll with 55 points.  The Bearcats aim for continued improvement behind All-NWC midfielders Stephanie Skelly and Andrea Rowan.

Linfield College, perhaps the most improved team in the NWC in 2009, edged Whitman College for fourth place in the poll 49-48.  The Wildcats were sparked last fall by Anna Sours, who finished second on the team in goals scored as a freshman.   The Missionaries, meanwhile, must replace Corina Gabbert, the NWC's leading scorer in 2009, but return All-NWC midfielder Amy Hasson.

Pacific University (Ore.) was sixth in the poll with 34 points.  The Boxers welcome back Second Team All-NWC forward Ashley Kanda.  Pacific Lutheran received 26 points for seventh place.  Junior midfielder Karli Hurlbut was the Lutes' leading scorer last season.

After George Fox, Lewis & Clark College was ninth with 12 points.  Goalkeeper Elise Delgado, who had eight shutouts last fall, returns for the Pioneers.

The 2010 NWC season gets under way on Sept. 1.  George Fox will open its season on Sept. 2 with a home match at 7:00 p.m. against Northwest University as part of a doubleheader with the Bruin men’s team, which will host the Oregon Institute of Technology at 4:00 p.m.  Between games, the university will dedicate its brand-new soccer pitch at the Austin Athletic Complex a mile north of its former field on the main campus.

(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).