OBU soccer ties for 4th in preseason GAC poll
ARKADELPHIA — Ouachita Baptist opened this week tied for fourth place in the Great American Conference’s women’s soccer preseason poll after a 3-13-1 (3-9-0) season in 2017.
The Tigers picked up wins against Southern Nazarene, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Harding last season. They are tied for fourth place with East Central.
Southwestern Oklahoma State is the preseason conference favorite after a run to the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Central Regional finals a year ago. The Bulldogs were 13-4-5 a year ago, picked up five of the seven first-place votes and return several All-Region and All-American players.
Oklahoma Baptist is slated second in the preseason poll after an unbeaten regular season. The Lady Bison hoisted the 2017 GAC regular season crown and return a majority of the players from the team a year ago. They finished 15-2-3 for GAC Coach of the Year Mike White.
Harding placed third in the voting with Bethany Sutherland and Sierra Phillips, a pair of All-Region honorees, both returning for their senior seasons. Sutherland ranks second among returning Division II players with 51 career goals.
Ouachita returns leading goal scorer Bryson Thomas, of Hurst, Texas. Thomas finished last season with 17 shots on goal and had six shots found the back of the net.
Erin Webster, of Alvin, Texas, returns in goal for the Tigers after making 16 starts during her sophomore campaign. She registered more than 1,400 minutes of game time last season and saved a GAC-best 128 shots for the second-best save percentage in the GAC (.780).
Southern Nazerene was picked sixth behind Ouachita and East Central. Northwestern finished seventh of the seven GAC teams.
The 2018 GAC women’s soccer season opens on Aug. 29 when Northwestern hosts Rogers State. One day later, the Bulldogs host the defending national champion, Central Missouri.
Ouachita and Harding will each begin their respective seasons as both participate in a GAC/MIAA Challenge in Searcy against competition from the Mid-America Athletics Association. Ouachita is scheduled for a 5 p.m. kickoff on Aug. 31 against Missouri Western State in Searcy.