Keiser Tops The Sun Conference 2019 Preseason Women’s Soccer Poll
 
Aug. 7, 2019
 
TAMPA, Fla.— A pair of familiar names – Keiser and Southeastern -- top the list in The Sun Conference 2019 preseason women’s soccer poll.
 
Keiser, who narrowly missed winning the school’s first women’s soccer NAIA championship last season with a 1-0 loss to William Carey (Miss.) in the title game, has edged out rival Southeastern for the top spot in this season’s vote of the league’s coaches.
 
Keiser and Southeastern stood atop the final 2018 conference standings with identical 9-0-1 records.  The two teams played to a 1-1 (2OT) tie in their regular season meeting last Oct. 3 and battled to a 0-0 tie in the conference tournament championship game on Nov. 9, with Keiser claiming the tournament title on penalty kicks (4-3).
 
Both schools reached the final four of the NAIA Championship Tournament. William Carey ended both of the TSC schools’ seasons, beating Southeastern, 4-2, in the semifinals and topping Keiser in the title match.
 
Keiser, 20-3-2 in 2018, received seven first-place votes and a total of 96 points in the balloting by the 11 conference coaches (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams).  Southeastern, 20-2-2 a year ago, received three first-place votes and 90 total points. Johnson & Wales (68), Thomas (60) and SCAD Savannah (59) rounded out the poll’s top five.
 
Warner (58), St. Thomas (55), USC Beaufort (51), Ave Maria (29), Webber International (29) and Florida Memorial (10) completed the preseason rankings.  Ave Maria secured the other first-place vote.
 
Keiser will be led by sophomore forward Matilda Ovenberger, a first-team All-America pick and The Sun Conference Freshman of the Year last season.  Ovenberger led the Seahawks with 32 goals and 69 total points in 2018. Also returning for Coach Mat Dunn are the next two high scorers from the national runner-up team, midfielders Maxi Krug (Jr.) and Filippa Millqvist (Sr.), as well as stellar junior defender Josefine Troneby.
  
2019 Sun Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll (first-place votes)
Keiser                          96 (7)
Southeastern              90 (3)
Johnson & Wales        68
Thomas                       60
SCAD Savannah           59
Warner                        58
St. Thomas                  55
USC Beaufort              51
Ave Maria                   29 (1)
Webber International    29
Florida Memorial        10