SFA Soccer Lands Six Preseason Honors
8/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 13, 2008
FRISCO, Texas - Southland Conference officials announced the 2008 Preseason All-SLC Soccer teams Wednesday, and defending champion Stephen F. Austin tied for the league lead with six selections. Kelli Wilson, Amanda Lackey, Jessica Cotton and Megan Cash were all first-team choices, while Amanda Alders and Crystin Pactor were both named to the second team.
All six SFA selections were automatic qualifiers for the preseason squad, as all six are returning all-conference choices from a year ago. Only UTSA matched the Ladyjacks in preseason honors, as the Roadrunners had four first-teamers and a pair of players named to the second team. No other league member had more than two first-team selections or four honorees total.
Wilson, a junior midfielder, is the Ladyjacks' top returning scorer, having posted nine goals and five assists a year ago. Her 23 points ranked fifth in the SLC in 2007. Her teammate in the midfield, Lackey, is back for her senior year after taking First-Team All-SLC honors for the first time in her career. Playing primarily as a defensive midfielder last season, Lackey tallied two assists and lent a hand in SFA's seven shutouts.
Cotton, a senior defender, is coming off a career year offensively. She scored three goals in 2007, two of which were game-winners, and played a key role in a Ladyjack backfield that allowed 23 goals, the second-lowest total in program history. Cash was one of the most versatile players on the field for SFA last year, playing both forward and defender. She finished with one goal and two assists in her sophomore campaign.
Alders is back for her senior year after eclipsing the SFA career records for points and goals last season. Despite injuries that limited her to 12 appearances, Alders finished third on the team with five goals and four assists.
Pactor, started all 20 games in net last season and finished with 91 saves and seven shutouts. She posted an .805 saves percentage and a 1.07 goals-against average. She enters her junior season with a 1.11 career goals-against average, which is currently the top mark in SFA history.
The Ladyjacks are coming off a 13-5-2 season in 2007 that saw them win a share of the SLC regular-season championship and sweep two SLC Tournament games to reach the NCAA Championships.
SFA and first-year head coach George Van Linder will open their season Friday with an exhibition game at Oklahoma. The Ladyjacks' first regular-season action is scheduled for Aug. 22 at TCU.
-- SFA --
