Lions Picked to Finish 10th in SAC

ROCK HILL, S.C.—Mars Hill’s women’s soccer team was picked to finish 10th in the South Atlantic Conference by the league’s coaches in a poll released Wednesday. Alyssa Morris was named to the Preseason All-SAC Team.

Lions Picked to Finish 10th in SAC
August 28, 2013

ROCK HILL, S.C.—Mars Hill's women's soccer team was picked to finish 10th in the South Atlantic Conference by the league's coaches in a poll released Wednesday. Alyssa Morris was named to the Preseason All-SAC Team.

The Lions earned 36 points in the poll, placing them between Carson-Newman (42) and Coker (27). Morris was named to the Preseason All-SAC Second Team. MHU is coming off a season in which the Lions finished 6-13 overall and in eighth place in the SAC with a 2-7 conference record. Mars Hill opens its season Sep. 7 with a match at Mount Olive. The Lions open conference play at Newberry Sep. 14.

Morris was a Second-Team All-SAC selection last season after leading the conference in assists during the regular-season with eight. The midfielder tallied three goals, two of which were game-winners. She was the only Lion to start every game last season.

Also returning for the Lions is leading-scorer Grace Lancaster. The defender scored five goals last season and was a Second-Team All-SAC selection in 2011. Sophomore forward Hannah Russell added two goals and three assists last year.

Three-time defending SAC Champion Lenoir-Rhyne was picked as the league-favorite. The Bears received 10 first-place votes.

Wingate and Tusculum each received one first-place vote, placing second and third respectively.

The complete SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll and Preseason All-SAC Teams are listed below.

2013 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

Place. Team-Points (First-place votes)
1. Lenoir-Rhyne- 120 (10)
2. Wingate- 105 (1)
3. Tusculum- 101 (1)
4. Catawba- 88
5. Lincoln Memorial- 73
6. Anderson- 68
7. Queens- 63
8. Newberry- 56
9. Carson-Newman- 42
10. Mars Hill- 36
11. Coker- 27
12. Brevard- 13

2013 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

Position- Player, School

First Team
F – Jade Montgomery, WU
F – Leah Mullins, L-R
F – Krystal Goss, AU
F – GarcelleAlequine, L-R
M – Hanna Kiebel, L-R
M – Gabrielle Brodie, NEW
M – JosefinHedstrom, LMU
M – Sophie Waller, CAT
D – Brianna Belsky, L-R
D – Amber Madriaga, L-R
D – Anna Toole, CAT
D – Sam Adams, LMU
GK – KaitlynNeipp, AU 

Second Team
F – Juliana Conte, CAT
F – Kendall Smith, L-R
F – Brooke Foil, QU
F – Taylor Lewis, TC
M – Alisha Pugh, TC
M – Alyssa Morris, MHU
M – Chelsey Horan, WU
M – Amy Morford, TC
D – Blair McDonough, L-R
D – Savannah Pitt, LMU
D – Taryn Grivois, WU
D – Casey Marlin, L-R
GK – Marissa Williams, TC