Bryant picked No. 4 in NEC preseason poll

SOMERSET, N.J. – The Bryant University women's soccer team was chosen to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference preseason coaches' poll, announced Tuesday afternoon by the NEC office. 

Bryant was selected fourth behind Central Connecticut, who finished the 2018 regular season 8-0 and received nine votes, Saint Francis U (one) and Fairleigh Dickinson (one). 

Mount St. Mary's placed fifth while Sacred Heart, Robert Morris, LIU, Wagner, St. Francis Brooklyn and Merrimack finish off the 11-team poll. 

The Bulldogs are coming off the 2018 season tied for fourth with Fairleigh Dickinson after finishing 8-7-1 overall. The team missed postseason play after dropping to Mount St. Mary's, 1-0, to close out the season.

Bryant's offense returns five of the team's top scorers, including junior Amanda Spitaleri (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) who lead the team with five goals on the season and was named Third Team All-North Region by the United Soccer Coaches' Association. Senior Remi Manna (Pleasantville, N.Y.) and sophomore Corrine Rey (Norton, Mass.) each recorded two goals and one assist last season. Junior Katie Cronin (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and sophomore Lexi Kraemer (Forest Hill, Md.) also tallied two goals each. 

The team's defense returns junior Jamie Irwin (Succasunna, N.J.), a two-time First Team All-NEC member. Irwin lead the Bulldogs defense to five shutout games during the 2018 season. In the team's final home weekend of the season the defense surrendered only six total shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper Meghan Dalton (West Hartford, Conn.) is also returning off an impressive 1.11 GAA and a .795 save percentage overall. 

Bryant opens the 2019 season Thursday, Aug. 22, at Iona. The full 2019 schedule can be viewed HERE.

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FULL NORTHEAST CONFERENCE POLL

1. Central Connecticut (9)

2. Saint Francis U (1)

3. Fairleigh Dickinson (1)

4. Bryant 

5. Mount St. Mary's

6. Sacred Heart

7. Robert Morris

8. LIU

9. Wagner

10. St. Francis Brooklyn

11. Merrimack