ODAC Releases Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
SALEM, Va. -- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference released its
2009 men's soccer preseason poll on Wednesday afternoon and
Washington and Lee was picked to finish fifth.
Roanoke, the runner-up in the conference championship a season ago,
sits atop the poll and received 5-of-11 first-place votes on the
way to 112 total points. Virginia Wesleyan received three
first-place votes (107) and was separated from third place
Lynchburg (105) by only two points. Lynchburg also received two
first-place votes and was followed by Hampden-Sydney with the final
first-place vote (94). W&L rounded out the top five with 68
points. Eastern Mennonite (60), Randolph (55), Randolph-Macon (46),
Guilford (38), Emory & Henry (23) and Bridgewater (18)
completed the poll.
The Generals return four seniors from last season's team that
finished 9-6-2 (4-5-1 ODAC) before falling to Hampden-Sydney in the
quarterfinals of the league tournament.
Senior midfielder Drew Crowley (Weston, Mass./Weston) will return
to the field as one of W&L's top goal scorers from last season
(4g). He will be joined by fellow senior Strock Moore (Birmingham,
Ala./Briarwood Christian) in the midfield. The Generals will also
return two seniors, Reed Stevens (Midland, Texas/Midland) and Ted
Grover (Lexington, Va./Episcopal), to the defense that allowed an
average of only 0.88 goals-per-game last season, tied for
third-best in the ODAC.
The Generals will start their season against Birmingham
Southern at the Kyle Rote, Jr. Invitational, hosted by Sewanee, on
Sept. 12 with a noon start time.
-- GENERALS --