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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kansas City, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern soccer team has been picked to finish seventh in the MIAA preseason coaches poll as announced by the league office today. Southern was 6-12-1 last season and were seventh in the MIAA with a 4-11-1 league mark. The Lions graduate one of the best players in the program's history in Nikki Llewellyn, but return a very talented group of players that includes nine of the 11 starters from a season ago. Seniors Stephanie Heines and Jentri White will lead the offense and be charged with guiding a group that will have to make up 50 percent of the offense from a season ago. Heines was second on the team with five goals last season, while White dished out a team-high four assists. Junior Sarah Evers also returns up front and sophomores Briana McKenzie and Michelle Dimza return in the midfield. Audrey Copenhaver, Kara Hamman and Danai Noftz return in the back field. The Lions also redshirted Stephanie Taylor, Laura Rodolf, Megan Stueve and Jennifer Fulton last season and all return, while welcoming in five freshmen. The two-time defending MIAA champion Central Missouri Jennies have been chosen to notch a third straight title this season with six of the nine first-place votes. Truman State ranked behind the Jennies in the second spot, picking up the remaining three first-place votes. Nebraska-Omaha was picked third, while Washburn and Southwest Baptist rounding out the top five. Northwest Missouri State came in sixth, with Missouri Southern, Emporia State and Missouri Western concluding the nine-team poll. The Lions, under seventh-year head coach Trevor Wachsman, will open the 2009 campaign on Friday (Aug. 28) in Austin, Texas against St. Edward's. The Lions' home opener will take place on Sept. 4 when they will host Rockhurst at 7 p.m. at Hal Bodon Field. |