ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The 2012 Trine University women’s soccer team was picked to finish seventh in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association preseason poll. The Thunder finished the 2011 campaign with an overall record of 5-13-2 and was seventh in the conference with a 3-11-2 record. Defending champion Adrian was chosen as the preseason favorite ahead of Alma. Kalamazoo, Hope, Calvin and Saint Mary’s were all picked ahead of the Thunder with Olivet and Albion rounding out the poll.
After winning their first conference game since 2004, the women’s soccer team will look to improve upon their three MIAA wins a season ago. The squad will feature just four upperclassmen and will again rely heavily upon underclassmen after finishing last season with their most victories since 2003.
On the offensive side, the lone senior Ruth Feliciano (Ashland, Ohio/Ashland) will look to lead the young Thunder squad. The team returns their second leading scorer in sophomore Trisha King (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) who tallied four goals last season. After playing in all 20 games and making 10 starts a season ago, fellow sophomore Amy Williams will look to become an offensive threat for the Thunder. Another pair of sophomores in Miranda Allen (Grass Lake, Mich./Grass Lake) and Melissa Smiles (Davisburg, Mich./Holly) started 19 games last year and will look to contribute again this season.
The ladies will open the season with two tournaments on the road, the first at Olivet (MI) on August 31 through September 1 followed by Thomas More (KY) September 8-9. Their first home game will be on September 19 when they host MIAA foe Albion.
Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Adrian (7) 9 pts. 2. Alma (1) 18. 3. Kalamazoo 27. 4. Hope (1) 28. 5. Calvin 29. 6. Saint Mary’s 45. 7. Trine 51. 8. Olivet 53. 9. Albion 64.