Lady Knights Picked Third in Western Division in PSAC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll

Kayla Bevacqua scored three goals in the COVID-shortened spring season.

PSAC Release

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference recently released its 2021 PSAC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll, with Gannon picked to finish third out of nine teams in the Western Division.

Slippery Rock, the defending PSAC champion after defeating Edinboro in the 2019 PSAC finals, received six of a possible nine first place votes to finish first in the voting. Mercyhurst garnered two first place votes and is second. Gannon captured the other first place vote and holds down the third spot.

Edinboro completes the trio of teams in northwest Pennsylvania, picked to finish fourth. Indiana(Pa.) is fifth, with Pitt-Johnstown holding down the sixth spot. Seton Hill was seventh in the poll, with Cal U in eighth place and Clarion rounding out the Western Division rankings.

Bloomsburg is the favorite in the Eastern Division. The Huskies received six first place votes, doubling the total of West Chester, who was picked to finish second. East Stroudsburg is third, with Millersville finishing fourth in the poll.

Kutztown was chosen to finish fifth by the Eastern Division coaches, with Shippensburg next in the sixth spot and Lock Haven seventh. Mansfield and Shepherd complete the division poll.

Former Gannon soccer great Colin Petersen enters his 20^th season as the women's soccer head coach and is now in his 22^nd season with the Gannon soccer program. He is the winningest and longest-tenured coach in the 34-year history of the program, showing a record of 161-149-29.

This past spring, Gannon was able to get in four matches, finishing with a 3-1-0 record, along with playing three exhibition matches. The Lady Knights have now enjoyed ten straight non-losing seasons, including an 8-7-2 ledger in 2019.

A year ago, Petersen split the goalkeeping duties between Kennedy Solymosi (Eastlake, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (Eastlake, Ohio / Lake Catholic), Morgan Sinan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) (Morgantown, W.Va. / Morgantown), and Jordan August (Morgantown, W. Va./Morgantown) (Cranberry Twp., Pa. / Seneca Valley). All three return and combined to allow just three goals. Kayla Bevacqua (Welland, Ontario/Notre Dame) (Welland, Ontario / Notre Dame) accounted for three of the team's seven goals in the abbreviated season.

Gannon opens the 2021 campaign on Thursday, September 2 hosting Notre Dame(Oh.) in a 6 p.m. match at McConnell Family Stadium.

PSAC Women's Soccer Preseason Polls

WESTERN DIVISION (# of 1st place votes)
1. Slippery Rock (6)
2. Mercyhurst (2)
3. GANNON (1)
4. Edinboro
5. IUP
6. Pitt-Johnstown
7. Seton Hill
8. Cal U
9. Clarion

EASTERN DIVISION
1. Bloomsburg (6)
2. West Chester (3)
3. East Stroudsburg
4. Millersville
5. Kutztown
6. Shippensburg
7. Lock Haven
8. Mansfield
9. Shepherd

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Players Mentioned

#34 Jordan August: GK; 5' 8"; Junior; Undeclared

#17 Kayla Bevacqua: M/D; 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior; Sport and Exercise Science

#0 Morgan Sinan: GK; 5' 7"; Sophomore; Undeclared

#21 Kennedy Solymosi: GK; 5' 3"; Senior; Physician Assistant

Players Mentioned

#34 Jordan August
: 5' 8"; Junior; Undeclared
: GK

#17 Kayla Bevacqua
: 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior; Sport and Exercise Science
: M/D

#0 Morgan Sinan
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; Undeclared
: GK

#21 Kennedy Solymosi
: 5' 3"; Senior; Physician Assistant
: GK