Aug. 13, 2010

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Oregon State women's soccer team was pick to finish fifth this week by a poll of the Conference's women's soccer coaches. The Beavers made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and look to improve on their previous sucess.

Defending Pac-10 Champion Stanford received the maximum amount of points (81), with nine first-place votes, and were voted the 2010 preseason favorite to win the league. This marks the third-straight season the Cardinal have been picked first in the preseason poll. The Cardinal are coming off a runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAA Women's College Cup and were undefeated in Pac-10 play, finishing the season with a 25-1 overall record.

UCLA was picked to finish second for the third-straight season, garnering 73 votes and one first place vote. The Bruins enter the 2010 season after making a seventh-straight NCAA Women's College Cup appearance, where they lost in the semifinals to Stanford. UCLA finished the 2009 campaign 21-3 overall, 8-1 in Conference play.

With only eight points separating the third, fourth and !fth spots, USC took third with 58 points, after finishing 2009 with a 12-6 overall record and an NCAA Tournament appearance. California was fourth with 53 points, after going 11-9 in 2009 and advancing to the second round NCAA Tournament. With 50 points, Oregon State was just behind the Bears to take the fifth spot. The Beavers are coming off a Cinderella season, making a run to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals and finished the season with a 14-8 record.

Washington State was sixth in the poll with 47 points and Washington was a close seventh with 37 points. Arizona State earned 25 points for eighth place, Oregon (22) and Arizona (10) rounded out the poll, placing ninth and 10th, respectively.

The 2010 Pac-10 women's soccer season kicks off on Fri., Aug. 20, when Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, USC, Washington and Washington State all take to the field.

Following are the results of the preseason coaches' poll. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams (points 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first place votes in parentheses).

1. Stanford (9) ..........81
2. UCLA (1) ..............73
3. USC ...................58
4. California ............53
5. Oregon State ..........50
6. Washington State ......41
7. Washington ............37
8. Arizona State .........25
9. Oregon ................22
10. Arizona ..............10