Lady Tigers Picked to Finish Seventh in 2007 Preseason ACC Women’s Soccer Poll

Aug. 7, 2007

CLEMSON, SC – The 2007 Lady Tiger soccer team was picked to finish in seventh place in the Preseason ACC Women’s Soccer Poll, as determined by a vote of the league’s 11 head coaches. Defending National Champion North Carolina was chosen as the league’s preseason favorite, receiving 10 first-place votes.

Head Coach Todd Bramble’s Lady Tigers reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2006, defeating Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State and Stanford in the first three rounds by advancing on penalty kicks before falling to Florida State in the tournament quarterfinals. Clemson made NCAA history by becoming the first soccer team to advance three consecutive matches in NCAA tournament play by winning penalty kicks. The team finished the season with an 11-8-5 overall record, a 5-3-2 conference mark and ranked in a tie for 14th in the final NSCAA poll

Clemson returns nine of 11 starters to the 2007 squad, including All-American goalkeeper Ashley Phillips, who enters her senior season needing 67 saves to move into first place in Lady Tiger history for career saves. Phillips recorded 119 saves in 2006, which ranks her first in single season saves by a Clemson goalkeeper.

2006 All-ACC second team selections junior forward Julie Bolt and senior midfielder Elizabeth Jobe, as well as 2006 ACC All-Freshman team member Katie Vogel return for the 2007 Lady Tigers. Sophomore Molly Franklin, who led the Clemson in scoring in 2006, is also on the Lady Tiger roster for 2007.

Red-shirt senior midfielder Courtney Foster also returns to the Lady Tiger squad for 2007 after suffering a season-ending injury in the second game of the 2006 season. Foster currently ranks ninth in Clemson record books with 25 career goals.

2007 Preseason ACC Women’s Soccer PollSchool (First Place Votes) – Points 1. North Carolina (10) – 120 2. Florida State (1) – 104 3. Virginia – 89 4. Boston College – 86 5. Duke – 74 6. Wake Forest – 737. Clemson – 60 8. Virginia Tech – 36 9. Maryland – 35 10. N.C. State – 26 11. Miami – 23

Read the ACC’s release on the 2007 Preseason ACC Women’s Soccer Poll by clicking on the following link: ACC Release