SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Roger Williams University has been selected as a repeat victor for the 2011 CCC women's soccer championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the league's head women's soccer coaches.

Roger Williams (16-5-1, 13-0-0) received seven of the 10 first-place votes in the 2011 CCC preseason poll. Endicott College (17-6-2) was chosen to finish second receiving the remaining three first-place votes. Western New England (19-9-0, 10-3-0) and University of New England (12-7-0, 8-5-0) were picked to finish third and fourth, respectively.

Roger Williams looks to capture its second consecutive CCC title with senior captains Laurin Pendleton (14 goals, 7 assists) and Michelle Meagher leading the way. Pendleton, the 2010 CCC Player of the Year and a NEWISA All-New England Second Team selection, was the Hawk's leading scorer last season, tallying team highs of 41 points on 16 goals and nine assists, and needs just nine goals to become the all-time leading scorer at Roger Williams at 56 goals. All-CCC honorable mentions Meagher and senior Taryn Roussel have anchored the Hawk's defense every game over the past two seasons, with 22 games in 2010 and 19 in 2009. The 2010 CCC Rookie of the Year Hannah Noel looks to make an impact on the field once again. Noel was a standout in her 2010 campaign and was ranked fourth on the team with seven goals.

After missing out on an NCAA appearance for the first time in seven years in 2010, Endicott women's soccer is looking to get back to the CCC Championship game, with the help of last year's leading scorer Colleen Pepin. The senior co-captain returns after leading the CCC in goals (25) and game-winners (8), earning herself First Team All-CCC honors. She will be joined by Second Team All-CCC junior defender Caitlin Peters, who leads an experienced defense that kept opponents scoreless eight times last season. Sophomore goalkeeper Natalie Wyrsch returns with a year of experience under her belt, and will look to repeat her impressive freshman year, which included a 1.05 GAA and 17 victories.

Western New England will be led by tri-captains Sara McMurray, a forward who was a top leading scorer on the team last year in CCC contests (6 goals, 7 assists), defender Samantha Lewis, and midfielder Andrea Almeida. Lewis and Almeida will help anchor a defense that only allowed their conference opponents to score 15 times last season.

University of New England features several returning players including senior captains Katie Caron and Jesalyn Dvorak, along with senior Jess Woodworth. Caron, the team's scoring leader last season with CCC honorable mention accolades, will be back up front. Dvorak and Woodworth will head up the defensive unit that allowed 14 goals in 13 league games last year, and recorded seven shutouts. Dvorak, a central defender, also received CCC honorable mention recognition a year ago and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Week. Woodworth, a first team CCC and second team NSCAA All-New England goalkeeper, ranked third individually in CCC goals against average and save percentage, and led the conference in shutouts (6).

Welcoming back 23 upperclassmen in 2011, Salve Regina University (10-9-0, 8-5-0) appears poised to make a run at their third straight CCC Tournament appearance. Expect All-New England and First Team All-CCC senior forward Kaitlyn Birrell (13 goals, 5 assists) and Second Team All-CCC sophomore forward Liz Galla (11 goals, 7 assists) to lead the way, as the duo currently ranks first and third, respectively, on the program's all-time scoring list.

In 2010, the Nichols College  women's soccer team (12-6-1, 7-5-1) posted the most wins since 2002 and returns All-CCC First Team midfielder Chelsea Shaughnessy (5 goals) to the 2011 squad. Speedy back Kaitlyn DiBuono (2 goals, 5 assists), who ranked in the conference's top 10 in assists last year (7), returns for her final season with the Bison and will look to move up from fourth place on Nichols all-time assists charts. Nichols is looking to make its fourth-straight conference postseason appearance.

Gordon College (10-8-1, 6-6-1) looks to Karina Scavo (6 goals, 5 assists), a 2010 First Team All-Conference/ NEWISA All-New England Third Team selection, along with Caitlin Nedde (7 goals, 4 assists), a 2010 Second Team All-Conference/ NEWISA All-New England Third Team for another post-season berth, and a chance at the conference title.

Curry College (9-10-0, 7-6-0) features senior All-CCC honorable mention Suzanne Jensen who was tied for second on the team in goals scored in conference play (4), along with goalkeeper Sam Hardy (1.69 goals against average, 85 saves),and forward Brittney McLaughlin (6 goals, 1 assist).

After just missing the conference tournament a season ago, the Wentworth women's soccer team (7-9-1, 6-6-1) looks to be in the hunt this season with the return of a pair of all-conference players. Junior midfielder Elizabeth Somma returns after leading the team in scoring (8 goals, 2 assists; 18 points) and earning second team all-conference honors, while junior keeper Jessica Gardner had a 1.98 goals against average and two shutouts, en route to being named Honorable Mention All-CCC. Senior midfielder/defender Lucy Brown also returns to the Leopards after scoring five goals and five assists for 15 points as a junior.

Eastern Nazarene (6-9-2, 4-8-1) welcomes back Second Team All-CCC senior forward Kara Webber, the Lions' leading scorer last season (11), along with senior forward Jillian Thorton (3 goals, 2 assists). In 2010 conference play, Webber scored seven goals and had two assists; her most notable scores came in the final match of the season when she struck twice against University of New England, to give the Lions a 2-1 victory.

2011 CCC PRESEASON WOMEN'S SOCCER POLL

Teams received 10 points for every first place vote received, nine points for second place votes, eight points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.

 

(Release Courtesy of the Commonwealth Coast Conference)