A Canada West preseason coaches poll has the University of Fraser Valley Cascades women's soccer team ranked 11th.
The Cascades received a total of 91 points in the poll and were slotted one point behind the tenth-ranked Mount Royal University Cougars.
The UBC Thunderbirds earned 15 first place votes and 225 points to top the poll. The TWU Spartans (207) and MacEwan Griffins (184) round out the top three.
The conference preview shared by the league points to second-year forward Kiana Langston as the key performer this season for UFV. She scored a team-high three goals in 2023 for the Cascades and will be relied on to carry some of the offensive load. The North Vancouver product scored a clutch overtime goal against Victoria in last year's playoffs to send that game to the penalty kicks. She was also named the school's 2023 rookie of the year amongst all sports.
WSOC | 120’ KIANA LANGSTON TIES THE GAME!!! 🔥🔥🔥#weclimbweconquer pic.twitter.com/kpcdbyWrr4
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) October 21, 2023
New additions to the team include: forward Emerson Topp from Chilliwack, midfielder Jaya Bains from Surrey and defender Kenzie Fitzgerald from Cloverdale.
The Cascades are coming off a 2023 campaign that saw the club finish at 6-5-3, good for fifth in the Pacific Division. They matched up with the Victoria Vikes in the Canada West play-in, but lost 3-1 in penalty kicks.
The women open the regular season on the road in Kelowna against the UBCO Heat on Sept. 6. They remain on the road for the second game of the season in Kamloops against the TRU Wolfpack on Sept. 7.
The team's home opener is set for Abbotsford's Rotary Stadium on Friday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. The Cascades then host the MRU Cougars on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 3 p.m.
For more on the team, visit gocascades.ca.
WSOC: The results are in! 📊
— Canada West (@CanadaWest) August 28, 2024
The @ubctbirds and @TWUSpartans top our 2024 coaches poll, coming off a season in which the sides met in both the CW and @USPORTSca championship games.
A new season kicks off tomorrow night!
📰 | https://t.co/cgAjtt2mBZ pic.twitter.com/IrC7D6FE7f
