UH-Hilo Picked Eighth in PacWest Women’s Soccer

The University of Hawai’i at Hilo women’s soccer team was picked to finish eighth in the 14-team PacWest Conference, according to the conference’s coaches poll, which was announced Tuesday.

Last season, UH-Hilo finished seventh in the conference with a 4-4-4 record and 7-5-6 overall mark. The Vulcans enter the 2015 season without last year’s leading goal scorer, Kristine Pasek, and last season’s leader in assists, Caroline Stromick. Both players graduated after last season.

Returning this year is the team’s top two goaltenders, senior Kayla Clarke and junior Jenna Hufford, who combined for five shutouts last season. Hufford recorded four of those clean sheets in fourteen starts last year.

Last year’s champion, Point Loma Nazarene, received 11 of the 14 first-place votes and was picked to repeat this year. California Baptist was slotted second with one first-place vote, followed by Azusa Pacific, who received two top votes.

Hawai’i Pacific University was the top local school on the list, picked to finish fourth. After UH-Hilo, Brigham Young University-Hawai’i was selected to finish eleventh and Chaminade one notch above the bottom in thirteenth.

Conference newcomer Concordia University was picked to finish seventh.

UH-Hilo opens its season with a non-conference home matchup against Simon Fraser University on Sept. 10 at 12:30 p.m.

PacWest Conference Preseason Coaches Poll (first place votes in parenthesis)

1. Point Loma Nazarene (11) – 190

2. California Baptist (1) – 180

3. Azusa Pacific (2) – 170

4. Hawai’i Pacific University – 143

5. Dixie State – 130

6. Fresno Pacific – 123

7. Concordia – 109

8. Hawai’i-Hilo – 91

9. Dominican – 83

10. Notre Dame de Namur – 69

11. BYU-Hawai’i – 61

12. Academy of Art – 51

13. Chaminade – 44

14. Holy Names – 26

2015 Preseason All-PacWest Women’s Soccer Team

Forwards – Mayra Almazan (Azusa Pacific), Justene Kesterson (California Baptist), Shelby Murphy (Point Loma Nazarene)

Midfielders – Audrianna DeGraw (California Baptist), Sami Swanson (Point Loma Nazarene), Lauren Wallberg (California Baptist)

Defenders – Caressa Archie (Fresno Pacific), Dottie Rhoten (Point Loma Nazarene), Lindsey Ryals (Azusa Pacific), Courtney Shutts (California Baptist)

Goalkeeper – Ariel Oriarte (Point Loma Nazarene)

Player of the Year – Justene Kesterson (California Baptist)

Defender of the Year – Dottie Rhoten (Point Loma Nazarene)

Goalkeeper of the Year – Ariel Oriarte (Point Loma Nazarene)