Flashes Soccer Picked Third in Preseason Poll
8/19/2019 10:03:00 AM | Women's Soccer
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Kent State soccer team has been tabbed to finish third as selected by Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced Monday morning.
Kent State received two first place votes and three votes to win the league's tournament and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Last year the Golden Flashes finished the campaign with their eighth consecutive 10-win season and is the only Mid-American Conference team to accomplish that mark.
Veteran head coach Rob Marinaro is in his 19th season at the helm of the program and has amassed 175 career victories. Junior Vital Kats highlights the returners, the Toronto, Ontario native led KSU a season ago with eight goals, nine assists and 25 points. She was named to the USC All-Region First Team and All-MAC First Team. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Faith O'Neill made 17 starts between the pipes and was tied for second in the MAC with six shutouts and was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. Senior defender Sierra Henderson-Muschett is the captain in the back row and is fully healthy after an injury shortened 2018.
The top eight teams qualify for the MAC Women's Soccer Tournament, which runs from November 3rd through November 10th, and is hosted at campus sites.
Kent State begins its 2019 campaign with a home tilt against Cleveland State on Friday, August 23rd at 7 p.m.
Be sure to follow Kent State Soccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and in-match updates about the squad.
2019 MAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Bowling Green – 139 (8)
2. Ball State – 126 (1)
3. Kent State – 106 (2)
4. Buffalo - 94
5. Ohio - 84
6. Western Michigan - 80
7. Eastern Michigan - 72
8. Central Michigan - 66
9. Akron - 65
10. Toledo – 48Â
11. Miami - 38
12. Northern Illinois – 18
MAC Tournament Champion
Bowling Green – 6
Kent State – 3
Western Michigan – 2
Buffalo - 1
