MAC soccer preseason poll released, CMU ranks near bottom
With two exhibition matches under its collective belt and less than a week until its season opener, the Central Michigan University soccer team was picked to finish fourth out of six teams in the Mid-American Conference West Division in Monday's preseason poll.
Ball State University and Western Michigan University were picked to take the division, with five first-place votes apiece. Eastern Michigan University, CMU, Northern Illinois University and the University of Toledo round out the rankings in the west.
The University at Buffalo received seven first-place votes and is projected to win the MAC East Division. This comes a year after its MAC Championship season of 2014.
CMU finished last season 6-11-2 (4-6-1 MAC), will look to build off of a strong finish to its 2014 campaign.
After dropping nine of its first 12 matches of the season, the team gained momentum and ended the season by winning four of its final seven matches.
The Chippewas tied Michigan State University 0-0 in an exhibition game Thursday and topped Valparaiso University 1-0 in an exhibition road match Sunday on a goal from senior midfielder Kaelyn Korte.
CMU will start its 2015 regular season with a match on the road against Oakland University Aug. 23.
They will not play their first match in Mount Pleasant until Sept. 13, when they take on DePaul University.
2015 MAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
West Division:
T1. Ball State (5 first place votes)
T1. Western Michigan (5)
3. Eastern Michigan (2)
4. Central Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Toledo
East Division:
1. Buffalo (7)
2. Miami (OH) (4)
3. Kent State (1)
4. Ohio
5. Bowling Green
6. Akron
