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OVC Releases Women's Soccer Preseason Poll

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks slated ninth. Ellington Player to Watch

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – A new league means a new opportunity to earn respect for the Western Illinois women's soccer team.
 
Playing in their inaugural season in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Leathernecks were projected to finish ninth in the 10-team OVC preseason poll, which was released on Thursday.
 
The Leathernecks received 35 points in a poll conducted among the league's coaches and sports information directors.
 
Tennessee Tech wears the favorite tag, picking up 12 of 20 first-place votes to tally 156 points, which was 10 points ahead of second-place SIUE. The Cougars picked up the other eight first-place votes and 146 points. Last season TTU won the regular season and hosted the Championship with SIUE topping the Golden Eagles 1-0 in the Championship Match.
 
Morehead State was picked third (126) and followed by Southeast Missouri (118), Little Rock (88), Lindenwood (77), Southern Indiana (66), UT Martin (63), new member Western Illinois (35) and Eastern Illinois (25).
 
Earning individual recognition for the Leathernecks is Emmy Ellington. The junior forward from Woodbury, Minnesota was named Western Illinois' Player to Watch.
 
The Leathernecks opened the season Wednesday night, playing an exhibition match against Drake. Western Illinois hosts Northeast in another exhibition on Monday before beginning the regular season on Thursday, August 17 against Northern Illinois in Macomb.
 
This year marks the 25th OVC Championship Tournament. The event starts on campus sites with first round and quarterfinal matches on October 27 and 29, with the No. 3 and No. 4 seed hosting matches.
 
The event switches to the site of the No. 1 seed the following weekend with semifinal and Championship matches on November 2 and 5.
 
 
2023 Predicted Order of Finish
  1. Tennessee Tech (12 first-place votes)                156 points
  2. SIUE (8)                                                           146
  3. Morehead State                                                126
  4. Southeast Missouri                                           118
  5. Little Rock                                                        88
  6. Lindenwood                                                      77
  7. Southern Indiana                                               66
  8. UT Martin                                                         63
  9. Western Illinois                                                 35
  10. Eastern Illinois                                                  25

Players to Watch
Cam Korhorn (MF, Sr., Plainfield, Ill.) - Eastern Illinois
Played in 15 matches making 13 starts last year … Ranks as EIU top offensive attack player with 24 shots last season and three points (one goal, one assist)… Had 10 shots on goal.

Karsen Kohl (MF, Grad., St. Louis, Mo.) – Lindenwood
A transfer from Saint Louis University who was a part of four conference championship teams … She appeared in 73 games making 40 starts, including 38 out of 39 contests across her sophomore and junior seasons.


Amaya Arias (MF, So., Downey, Calif.) - Little Rock
Was named a second team All-OVC and OVC All-Newcomer selection in 2022 … Started and played in 16 matches … Tallied four goals, including two game-winning goals … Had a 44 percent shot on goal percentage … Played 1,298 minutes on the season.
 
Erin Gibbs (GK, So., Mesa, Ariz.) - Morehead State
2022 OVC All-Newcomer Team … Played in 10 and started nine matches as a freshman … Set program single season record for GAA (0.84/match) … Made 46 saves and had an 85.2% save percentage … Posted four shutouts … Made season-high nine saves against SEMO.
 
Emma Brune (MF/D, Sr., Cape Girardeau, Mo.) - Southeast Missouri
Started all 17 matches last season, logging 1,542 minutes of play and had matches of 90-minutes plus in 15 of them, including a 110-minute shift against Lindenwood in the OVC Tournament … Registered 14 shots, including seven on target and finished with a goal and an assist in 2022.
 
Matea Diekema (MF, Grad., Grand Rapids, Mich.) - SIUE
Earned numerous accolades last season, including OVC Defender of the Year … Was an All-South Region honoree, she was selected as a third team honoree on the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Scholar All-American list.
 
Peyton Murphy (MF, So., Bargersville, Ind.) - Southern Indiana
Was named to the 2022 OVC All-Newcomer Team after leading the team in her freshman season with five goals and 12 points, both of which were third in the OVC … Also led the squad with 25 shots and 16 shots on goal, recording a 64 percent shot accuracy … Started all 17 matches, playing 1,175 minutes for USI last season.
 
Yao Giada Zhou (MF, Sr., San Michele al Tagliamento, Italy) - Tennessee Tech
Was named the OVC's Midfielder of the Year last season … She finished second in the Conference in assists with six, tied for seventh in the league in shots with 34 and tied for ninth in the OVC in points with 10.
 
Parker Gelinas (D, R-So., Germantown, Tenn.) - UT Martin
Missed the 2022 season with an injury … In 2021 was named first team All-OVC and was the 2021 OVC Freshman of the Year (just third UTM player to win that award) … Started all 18 matches in 2021 and was a part of a defensive back line that surrendered the fewest goals in the OVC (16).
 
Emmy Ellington (F, Jr., Woodbury, Minn.) - Western Illinois
Started in all 17 matches last year … Scored two goals and had one assist … Logged 1,4431 minutes of action, including going the full 90 minutes in eight contests … Credited with game-winning goal against St. Thomas … Played in 17 matches as a freshman in 2021.
 
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