Monmouth Selected as Favorites to Repeat in MAAC Women's Soccer
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. – The defending champions, Monmouth University, was selected as the favorites to repeat in the 2014 season, as voted by the league’s eleven head coaches. Monmouth earned 118 points with eight first place votes to edge out Fairfield University, which earned 113 points and the remaining three first place votes.
Monmouth finished their 2013 campaign with a 17-2-2 overall record and an unbeaten 8-0-2 record in the MAAC to claim the outright regular season crown. The Hawks capped off their season by defeating the Fairfield University Stags 2-0 in the 2013 MAAC Championship title game enroute to the school’s first conference title as a member of the MAAC. During the 2013 season, Monmouth set school records in points earned during league play (26) and shutouts (16). The Hawks also tied school records with 17 overall victories and eight conference wins, and recorded their second-best league win percentage (.900). Monmouth claimed four of the five regular season major awards in 2013, led by head coach Krissy Turner being named the 2013 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year, while freshman forward Alexis McTamney claimed MAAC Rookie of the Year honors.
Fairfield’s Ashley Small was chosen as the 2014 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. In the 2013 campaign, the senior forward from Melville, N.Y. led the MAAC in game winning goals (7), and ranked second in points (27), points per game (1.29), goals (13), and goals per game (0.62). Small was named a member of the 2013 All-MAAC First Team, MAAC All-Championship Team, and MAAC All-Academic Team.
The 2013 MAAC Championship runner-ups, Fairfield University, was a close second in the poll with 113 points. The Stags finished the 2013 season at 7-2-1 in league play and an overall mark of 12-7-2. The 2013 Fairfield squad completed the program’s first unbeaten home campaign, going 7-0-1 at home and its 12 victories were the most for a Fairfield team since the 2008 campaign.
Siena College finished third in the poll with 83 points, followed by Marist College with 80 points for fourth. Iona College and Rider University rounded out the top five tied with 76 points. Quinnipiac University received 57 points, good for seventh, and Niagara University picked up 46 votes for eighth. Canisius College and Manhattan College tied for ninth with 32 points, and Saint Peter’s rounded out the poll receiving 13 points.
The preseason All-MAAC team consists of Fairfield’s Small, Manhattan’s Aislinn McIlvenny, Monmouth’s McTamney, and Rider’s Michelle Iacono at the forward position. At midfield are Monmouth’s Brianne Boyle and Marist’s teammates Amanda Epstein and Marissa Mertens. Fairfield’s Emma Pichl, Iona’s Sali Ayinde, Monmouth’s Monique Goncalves and Alexa Freguletti and Siena’s Tara Sobierajski make up the backs. The goalkeeper is Kristen Skonieczny of Manhattan.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
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1.
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Monmouth
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118
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2.
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Fairfield
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113
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|
3.
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Siena
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83
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|
4.
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Marist
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80
|
|
T5.
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Iona
|
76
|
|
T5.
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Rider
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76
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|
7.
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Quinnipiac
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57
|
|
8.
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Niagara
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46
|
|
T9.
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Canisius
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32
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T9.
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Manhattan
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32
|
|
11.
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Saint Peter’s
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13
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Preseason All-MAAC Team
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Ashley Small
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Forward
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Fairfield
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Aislinn McIlvenny
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Forward
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Manhattan
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Alexis McTamney
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Forward
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Monmouth
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Michelle Iacono
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Forward
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Rider
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Brianne Boyle
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Midfield
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Monmouth
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Amanda Epstein
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Midfield
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Marist
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Marissa Mertens
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Midfield
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Marist
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Emma Pichl
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Back
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Fairfield
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Sali Ayinde
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Back
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Iona
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Monique Goncalves
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Back
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Monmouth
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Alexa Freguletti
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Back
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Monmouth
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Tara Sobierajski
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Back
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Siena
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Kristen Skonieczny
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Goalkeeper
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Manhattan
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Preseason Player of the Year