Aug. 16, 2007

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - After enjoying a record-breaking season that included the program's first 20-win season, the Navy women's soccer team will open the 2007 campaign ranked seventh in the Mid-Atlantic Region according to the 2007 Preseason Soccer Buzz Preseason Poll released this week. Additionally, the Mids received votes in Soccer Buzz's preseason national poll.

Despite finishing the 2006 season ranked fourth in the Soccer Buzz Mid-Atlantic Region Poll, the Mids slid to No. 7 to start 2007 in what is a highly competitive region. Eight of the top 10 teams ranked in the Mid-Atlantic Region poll earned NCAA Tournament berths last fall. Virginia is the top-ranked team in the region after making it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament in '06, followed by Penn State, Rutgers, West Virginia, Villanova and William & Mary. Last fall, Navy captured its first win over a nationally-ranked program by defeating No. 9 Penn State, 1-0, at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in front of a capacity crowd. Just two weeks later, Navy advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history by edging out William & Mary in a battle of penalty kicks, 5-4.

Three of Navy's opponents this fall - William & Mary, James Madison and Colgate - are ranked in their respective regional polls with a fifth - Colgate - receiving votes. In what is sure to be a great rematch, the Mids will face William & Mary in a neutral site contest played at Virginia Commonwealth on Sept. 14. Two days later, Navy battles VCU, who is receiving votes in the region, on the Rams' home field. The Mids will play James Madison, ranked No. 12 in the Mid-Atlantic Region, on Sept. 23 in Harrisonburg, Va. Out of the Northeast Region is Colgate, who stands 14th in the poll, and will travel to Annapolis on Nov. 3 in both teams' regular-season finale.

The Mids, who open their season Aug. 31 in Dekalb, Ill, against Big Ten foe Iowa, return 15 of their 20 starters from last year's squad with nearly their entire starting defense left intact. Hermann Trophy watch list member junior Lizzie Barnes (New Orleans, La.), the nation's leader in goals-against average and save percentage a year ago, will orchestrate the Mids' defense from the goal. Meanwhile, All-Patriot League performers Lauren Bresnahan (Weston, Fla.) and Shelly Moeller (Milford, Ohio), an NSCAA First-Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection, are back to anchor a defense that surrendered just five goals during the regular season.

Although Meggie Curran, the team's leading scorer, graduated in May, Navy had the fortune of 17 players scoring goals in '06 with better than 65 percent of its goal scoring returning this fall. Senior forward Brigitte Fox (La Mesa, Calif.) (8g-4a) and Kari Weniger (St. Petersburg, Fla.) (7g-6a) are the team's top returning scorers as each produced 20 points.

Soccer Buzz Preseason Mid-Atlantic Region Poll
Rk    Team           '06 Record    Final '06 Rk
1.    Virginia          12-8-2      5
2.    Penn State        16-3-4      2
3.    Rutgers           18-5-3      1
4.    West Virginia	14-4-3      6
5.    Villanova         16-4-2      7
6.    William & Mary    16-1-4      3
7.    Navy              21-2-1      4
8.    Princeton          8-7-1     12
9.    Virginia Tech      6-8-4     NR
10.   Old Dominion      18-5-0      8
11.   Maryland           5-9-4     NR
12.   James Madison     11-9-2      9
13.   George Mason       8-9-2     NR
14.   Penn               8-5-3     13
15.   Loyola             9-7-2     14
Receiving Votes:  Monmouth (14-4-2), VCU (11-6-3)