WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State topped the 2014 Lone Star Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll as the popular pick amongst the league's coaches, sports information directors and selected media to win its second consecutive and fifth overall conference championship as released Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Mustangs rolled to a 13-5-3 mark last season claiming the LSC title with a 7-2-1 record in league play. MSU claimed the conference postseason tournament title taking two matches in penalty kicks over Texas A&M-Commerce and West Texas A&M advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.
 
Midwestern returns six starters and 21 letter winners including Daktronics and NSCAA All-Region performers Ashley Cottrell and Morgan Hannon.
 
Cottrell, a junior from Arlington, earned Offensive Player of the Year honors after scoring 11 goals and dishing out two assists.
 
Hannon, junior from Midland, notched three goals and two assists as a mainstay in the midfield.
 
Senior midfielder Katy Catney (3 goals, 3 assists) , junior defender Alexandria Edwards join sophomore defenders Haley Britton and Katie Huff as returning starters.
 
The Mustangs received just six of the 13 first-place votes, but amassed 80 total points to edge out Angelo State at the top of the poll. The Rambelles secured seven first-place votes for 72 points.
 
West Texas A&M (61 points) is ticketed to finish third followed by Texas A&M-Commerce (51 points, 2 first-place votes), Texas Woman's (27 points) and Eastern New Mexico (24 points).
 
The Mustangs open the season with a pair of matches at Dirks Field in Durango, Colo. as MSU takes on Colorado Mesa on Thursday, Sept. 4 before battling home standing Fort Lewis on Saturday, Sept. 6. Both games kick off at 1:30 p.m.

   

Rank	Team (1st votes)	Total
1	Midwestern State (6)	80
2	Angelo State (7)	72
3	West Texas A&M	61
4	Texas A&M-Commerce (2)	51
5	Texas Woman's	27
6	Eastern New Mexico	24