Tigers Picked Seventh in GPAC

The Doane women's soccer team, coming off an 8-8-3 season, has been picked to finish seventh by the GPAC coaches for 2008.  The Tigers qualified for the regional tournament last season and fell to Dana College in the first round.  The Tigers return several key components to the squad including honorable mention All-American Samantha Exstrom, who set a freshman record for goals scored in a season with 20.  The defense will also be strong with all-conference performers Kelsey Bryant and Erin Danahay returning as well as two-year starter Alicia Exstrom in net.  Below is the release from the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

(release from the GPAC office)

The Morningside women, after posting a 17-3-1 season in 2007, has been selected by the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) women's soccer coaches' as the favorite for the 2008 GPAC women's soccer season.

The Mustang women, who advanced to the NAIA National Soccer Tournament for the second consecutive season, totaled 137 points and eight first place votes in the poll.  Morningside was 11-0-1 in the league last year.  Hastings College garnered 135 points and four first place votes and were picked second in the conference.  Midland Lutheran totaled 118 points and claimed the other first place vote.

The 2008 schedule will consist of 12 league games as once again all 13 teams will compete for the conference crown.  This year the GPAC will have two automatic berths to the national tournament under direct qualification.  The GPAC regular season champion receives the first automatic berth.  The GPAC tournament champion will earn the second bid, unless it is the regular season champion.  In that case, the tournament runner-up will advance to the tournament.

Here is the complete 2008 GPAC Women's Preseason Soccer Poll: