DeLand, Fla. – The Stetson women’s soccer team has been predicted to finish sixth in the 11-team Atlantic Sun conference race in 2008, the league office announced Tuesday.  The Hatters tied for sixth place last season at 6-5-0 in A-Sun games and were 8-10-1 overall.

 

The preseason poll bears a strong resemblance to the 2007 final standings as defending champion Kennesaw State was a unanimous pick to retain its crown.  Mercer and Florida Gulf Coast were tabbed to repeat their second and third place finishes, respectively, while ETSU was the pick for fourth place and Belmont for fifth.  Coming in behind Stetson, in order, were North Florida, Jacksonville, Campbell, USC Upstate and Lipscomb.

 

2007 Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team midfielder Tessa Gavilsky (Granite City, Ill.), who tallied five goals and five assists as a rookie, highlights the cast of returnees that also includes junior defender Emily Yero (Lake Mary, Fla.), a five-goal scorer a year ago, and sophomore goalkeeper Andrea Garavaglia (Webster Groves, Mo.).

 

The Hatters take the field at 10 a.m. this Saturday for an exhibition game against Florida Tech at the Stetson Soccer Complex; the regular season begins Friday, August 22 when the Miami Hurricanes come to town for a 7 p.m. contest.