SLIAC releases Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

St. Louis, Mo. - The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference released the 2016 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll today with the Griffins tabbed for a fifth place regular-season finish with 49 points.

Webster was voted to finish first once again by the coaches with 78 points. The Gorloks have won each of the last three regular-season conference titles.

Westminster and Spalding each tied for second as Spalding made their first trip to the SLIAC Tournament last season. Greenville picked up the fourth slot.

Last season the Griffins missed out on SLIAC tournament play, the first time in eight years for the program. Fontbonne was chosen fifth in the poll and return seven starters and 13 players from last year's team that went 9-9-1 overall and 5-3-1 conference play.

Fontbonne will look to the experience of seniors Taylor Pulvirenti and Natalie Sipole to return to tournament action. Pulvirenti, a goalie, earned Second Team All-Conference honors after starting all 19 games for the Griffins last year and finishing with 63 saves and five shutouts. She owns Fontbonne's single-season and career shutout records as well as the record for the lowest goals-against-average in a season. Sipole, a midfielder, tallied one goal and three assists last year to earn First Team All-Conference honors. Also back is junior Maddie Redohl who will guide the backfield.

The Griffins add eight newcomers including juniors Meredith Wendt and Anna Whitaker in the hopes of pushing their offense as Fontbonne will have to replace a pair of All-Conference players in Lyndsey Godier and Paige Pfankuch as well as three year starter Kelly Hobbs.

1. Webster, 78 (8)

T2 Westminster, 67 (1)

T2 Spalding, 67

4. Greenville, 60 (1)

5. Fontbonne, 49

6. Principia, 45

7. Blackburn, 29

8. MacMurray, 27

9. Eureka, 17

10. Iowa Wesleyan, 11

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