AUGUSTA — The North Georgia women's soccer team landed three student-athletes on the preseason All-Conference team the Peach Belt Confernce unveiled on Wednesday.
The 11-member team was selected by the league's head coaches and features players from five of the 12 PBC teams. Columbus State and North Georgia led all schools with three selections while Armstrong State, North Georgia and UNC Pembroke had two each and Clayton State added one.
Sophia Matonak was named first-team All-Conference, first-team Daktronics All-Region and second-team NSCAA All-Region in 2014. A junior midfielder from Monroe, she was eighth in the PBC with 10 goals scored and sixth in the league with seven assists. Her 27 points was also eighth best in the Peach Belt. A PBC Player of the Week on Oct. 13, she had two multi-goal games and a stretch where she scored in six of eight games.
Megan Gil was named second-team All-Conference and second-team All-Region by the NSCAA for her work on the Nighthawk defense. A junior from Dacula, she scored her lone goal of the season against USC Aiken and was a key part of a defense that was second in the PBC and 42nd nationally with a 0.74 goals against average. The UNG defense was also third in the league with nine shutouts.
Rachel VanHorn had an outstanding freshman season with 13 goals and three assists for North Georgia. She finished third in the PBC in scoring and her 29 total points was sixth-best in the league. Returning for her sophomore season, the Marietta native was named second-team All-Region by Daktronics and to the PBC All-Tournament team after scoring a pair of goals in UNG's run to the final. She also scored a goal in the Nighthawks' win over Belmont Abbey in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Nighthawks will open the season on the road, traveling to Valdosta State for a 5 p.m., start on Sept. 4.
2015 Peach Belt Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Nicole Corcione, Columbus State
Chelsea Person, Columbus State
Shelby Rolling, Columbus State
Sophia Matonak, North Georgia
Megan Gil, North Georgia
Rachel VanHorn, North Georgia
Jenny Allen, Armstrong
Taylor Russell, Armstrong
Rae-Shawna Campbell, UNC Pembroke
Jasmine Senécal-Guzman, UNC Pembroke
Maria Marti Bartis, Clayton State
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