UNG women's soccer picked fourth in PBC preseason poll

The Peach Belt Conference has released its 2014 women's soccer preseason poll with the University of North Georgia picked to finish fourth out of 12 league schools. Head coach Chris Adams' squad received 89 points to land 26 votes shy of preseason favorite Clayton State. Collecting the other five first place votes was 2013 regular season co-champions, Columbus State.<br /> <br /> North Georgia is on the heels of a 12-5-1 overall record in 2013 that included a 7-3-1 mark in conference play. Preseason All-Conference selection Cicely Taliaferro is one of 18 players that return from the 2013 roster. Also back for her senior campaign in a Nighthawk uniform is senior defender Megan Morrow who helped lead the Nighthawks to a 1.16 goals against average last season, which ranked third in the league.<br /> <br /> UNG opens the season on Friday, September 5, with a home match against Valdosta State set for a 4:00 p.m., kickoff at the newly-renovated UNG Soccer Complex.<br /> <br /> Clayton State received seven out of a possible 12 first place votes and totaled 115 points in the poll. The Cougars of Columbus State were just three points out of first place in the poll with 112.<br /> <br /> Armstrong finished third in the poll with 101. North Georgia was fourth, Lander followed close behind in fifth.<br /> <br /> The first round of PBC league play begins Sept. 13 and will continue on until the Peach Belt Tournament in November. The final four of the tournament will be hosted at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga., for the seventh consecutive year.<br /> <br /> Teams were given 11 points for a first-place vote, 10 for a second-place vote and so on. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.