Illinois State soccer picked second in MVC preseason poll

Posted on August 17, 2015

By ISU Sports

 

First year Head Soccer Coach Eric Golz will try to replace 69 percent of scoring he lost from last years team. (WJBC File Photo)
First year ISU soccer coach Eric Golz will try to replace 69 percent of scoring he lost from last year’s team. (WJBC File Photo)

By ISU Sports Information

ST. LOUIS- Second is not a position the Illinois State soccer team is accustomed to in recent years.

The four-time defending champion of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and two-time defending champion of the MVC regular season was picked second by the MVC coaches in the annual preseason poll released Monday by the Valley.

The Redbirds accumulated a total of 37 points in the poll, despite not garnering a first-place vote. Evansville was the top vote-getter with 46 points and five first-place votes. Drake finished third with 29 points and also had one first-place vote. The only other team that received a first-place vote was Northern Iowa.

In addition to the preseason poll, the Valley also released the preseason All-MVC team. Three Redbirds earned a spot on the 11-player roster. Abby Van Deventer and Brooke Ksiazek were named All-MVC at the conclusion of the 2014 season. Both players were named All-Conference to begin the 2015 campaign.

Van Deventer will anchor the ISU defense, which was tops in the Valley last season. Ksiazek will help out the defense from her midfield position. The junior had a breakout season as a sophomore in 2014.

Rounding out the All-MVC selections for the Redbirds is sophomore forward, Kelli Zickert. Zickert was named the MVC Freshman of the Year last season after scoring five goals and dishing out five assists. Her 15 points make her the top-returning scorer this season.

lllinois State opens the regular season Friday at Ohio State. Valley play will begin Sept. 26 with a home match against Drake.

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