With its upset of then-#19 USC, San Diego has moved into the NSCAA national rankings (#22) where it joins #5 Portland and Santa Clara, which moved up one spot to #8. WCC teams face another pair of ranked opponents this week.
AROUND THE WCC
The WCC: The Elite Conference 18 Years Running
The Portland Pilots advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight last season with a 4-1 win over Virginia Tech. This was the 18th straight season that the WCC has had at least one representative in the NCAA Quarterfinals, by far the longest streak in the nation. The second closest active NCAA quarterfinal streak is held by the Pac-10 with 10 consecutive years in the Elite Eight.Against UCLA in the Quarterfinals, it seemed as though the Pilots were well on their way to another NCAA College Cup after an early goal on the road, but the UCLA Bruins came back with a 2-1 victory to end the Pilots' postseason run. Portland (21-2-0) concluded the season with the second most wins in school history, while the loss marked the third time in the last four years that Portland's season ended in the quarterfinals at Drake Stadium by a one-goal margin.
Pilots Capture Record 11th WCC Title
The Pilots captured their third consecutive West Coast Conference title and fifth in the last six seasons after going undefeated in conference matches. This marked the third consecutive season that the Pilots have posted a 7-0-0 record in WCC play. The Pilots were also rewarded with the Player of the Year and the Coach of the Year honors in senior Michelle Enyeart and head coach Garrett Smith.
Four WCC Players Named To M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Watch List
Like last season, the WCC landed another four players on the 2010 women's Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List. Portland is one of five teams in the nation to have three representatives on the watch list as seniors Kendra Chandhoke and Sophie Schmidt, along with junior Danielle Foxhoven were selected. The Pilots are joined by perennial championship contenders Stanford, UCLA , Notre Dame, and Boston College with three players mentioned. Rounding out the list of WCC players on the preseason watch list was Santa Clara junior Bianca Henninger.
2010 WCC Preseason All-Conference
Portland garnered the maximum seven first place votes and was selected as the preseason favorite in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Pilots are followed in the poll by 2009 NCAA Tournament participants Santa Clara and San Diego. Rounding out this year's poll was Pepperdine in fourth place, followed by Loyola Marymount, picked fifth, Saint Mary's in sixth, Gonzaga in seventh and San Francisco in eighth. In addition to a preseason poll, the WCC head coachesalso selected a pre-season all-conference team. The full poll and preseason all-conference team are listed below:
2010 WCCPreseason Coaches Poll
1. Portland - 49 (7)
2. Santa Clara - 41.5 (1)
3. San Diego - 38.5
4. Pepperdine - 27
5. Loyola Marymount - 26
6. Saint Mary's - 19
7. Gonzaga - 12
8. San Francisco - 11
(First place votes)
Preseason All-Conference Team
Kendra Chandhoke, Portland
Danielle Foxhoven, Portland
Julie Gallaudet, Loyola Marymount
Bianca Henniger, Santa Clara
Sheridan Jones, Gonzaga
Stephanie Ochs, San Diego
Sophie Schmidt, Portland
Michelle Spacciapolli, Pepperdine
Allie Vernon, Santa Clara
Keelin Winters, Portland
Jackie Zinke, San Diego
For the full release, log on to WCCsports.com.
WCC TEAM NOTES
SCHOOL
TEAM NOTES
Overall Record: 1-1-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Junior forward Sarah Rhodes had both goals in Gonzaga's season
opening win against Utah. It was the first time in her career that she scored
multiple goals in a single match. She is the only WCC player to have already notched more
than one score this season.
After the first week of play, junior goalkeeper Lauren Ames has recorded 10 saves, more
than any other WCC netminder. The Bulldogs offense also is on the attack, having earned 10
corners in two games.
Gonzaga was picked seventh in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll and senior midfielder
Sheridan Jones was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team
Gonzaga heads to Missoula this weekend to take part in the Montana Tournament where it will face the host Grizzlies (Aug. 27) and Nevada (Aug. 29).
Overall Record: 0-1-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Senior midfielder/forward Nickey Ha posted LMU's first goal of the season with
a shot to the back left corner in the 85th minute of the season opener at #14 Cal. It was just the
third goal of her career and her first since her sophomore season.
In senior forwards Julie Gallaudet and Lily Sorentino, the Lions have been a pair of senior
forwards who have been First-Team All-WCC selections. The duo, who have combined for 14
goals and 28 assists in their careers, give the Lions some experienced firepower up front.
LMU was picked to finish fifth in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, and senior forward
Julie Gallaudet was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Loyola Marymount returns to action with its home opener against Denver (Aug. 27) before
heading to Cal State Bakersfield (Aug. 29).
Overall Record: 1-0-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Sophomore forward Anisa Guajardo added the insurance goal in the 69th
minute as Pepperdine defeated Fresno State, 2-0, in the season opener. Junior midfielder/forward
Laura Cole tallied the first score by converting a penalty kick in just the seventh minute.
The Waves picked up their second straight opening day win, and sixth in the last eight years,
with their win against Fresno State. They are seeking to open a season with two straight wins
for the first time since 2005, which also was the last time they advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Pepperdine, picked to finish fourth in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, is the only team other
than Portland and Santa Clara to have won a conference title (shared with SCU in 2002).
Pepperdine makes the short drive south for the San Diego Tournament where it will face
Michigan (Aug. 27) and Arizona (Aug. 29).
Overall Record: 2-0-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Senior midfielder Sophie Schmidt had the game-winner for the Pilots
in the 75th minute of the season-opener against Portland State and added
an assist one match later. Sophomore midfielder Taylor Brooke and freshman
forward Micaela Capelle came off the bench to record the team's two goals against Cal
State Northridge.
Portland has opened the season on the offensive having already notched 42 shots in its first
two games. This includes a 27-shot effort in the opener against Portland State.
Three players are on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List: senior midfielder Kendra
Chandhoke; junior forward Danielle Foxhoven and junior midfielder Sophie Schmidt.
Portland hosts two matches this week when it welcomes Southern Methodist (Aug. 27) and
21st-ranked Oklahoma State (Aug. 29) to the Bluff.
Overall Record: 1-0-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Freshman midfielder Jordan Marada fired six shots on goal in the season
opener against Nevada. It's the most by a WCC player in a single game
thus far in 2010.
Senior forward Alyssa Doniak scored Saint Mary's only goal against Nevada. It was the
first Division I goal for the transfer from UC Santa Barbara who played a part on three national
champion club teams there.
The Gaels were picked sixth in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll,
Saint Mary's returns to action when it hosts North Florida (Aug. 29), two days after the
Ospreys visit San Francisco to open their two-game west coast road trip.
Overall Record: 1-0-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
San Diego picked up an upset victory in its first match of the season with a
1-0 win at #19 USC. Freshman forward Devaney Savage had the lone goal,
her first at the collegiate level to earn herself WCC Player of the Week.
San Diego's upset victory against USC in the season opener was their first ever against the
Trojans in Los Angeles. The win also vaulted the Toreros into the national rankings for the first
time this season.
The Toreros were picked third in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll and junior forward
Stephanie Ochs and senior midfielder Jackie Zinke were named to the preseason
all-conference team.
San Diego hosts its own tournament this weekend and will face off against Arizona (Aug.
27) and Michigan (Aug. 29).
Overall Record: 1-0-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Freshman midfielder Christina Moberg recorded a goal and an assist
in her first match for San Francisco, with the former coming on a penalty
kick.
The 2010 season marks the 25th Anniversary of women's soccer on the Hilltop. In 1985, Erik
Visser became the first head coach of the program, recruiting essentially a team of walk-ons.
Since the programs founding, Visser has moved on to become the head coach of the men's
program and the women's soccer program has amassed a 170-254-32 all-time record.
San Francisco was picked eighth in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll.
San Francisco continues its three-match season opening homestand with matches against
Northern Florida (Aug. 27) and UC Santa Barbara (Aug. 29).
Overall Record: 2-0-0 WCC Record: 0-0-0
Freshman midfielder Julie Johnston was credited with game-winning
assists in each of her first two collegiate games. Through the first week of
action, she is the only player in the conference with more than one assist.
The Broncos moved up one spot in the national polls this week and now sit at #8. They were
tested, however, in their most recent outing after falling behind in the 75th minute and then
netting two goals in the last eight minutes to top San Jose State.
Junior goalkeeper Bianca Henninger, who also appears on the MAC Hermann Trophy
Watch List, and sophomore midfielder Allie Vernon were both named to the WCC preseason
all-conference team.
Santa Clara's next contest is on the road but the Broncos don't have to travel far as they
travel across the Bay to face #18 California (Aug. 27).
