Virginia Wesleyan breaks into second national poll

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Forst the first time in recent history, Virginia Wesleyan College's women's soccer team is ranked among the nation's top 25 teams in two polls.

The Marlins, currently 9-0, are ranked No. 12 in the Contintental Tire/National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, and, for the first time, are included in the D3soccer.com poll.  VWC is No. 22 in the latter poll. 

Virginia Wesleyan, the only Old Dominion Athletic Conference women's soccer team to gain national ranking so far this year, is off to its best start in the program's 28-year history.  The Marlins have allowed just three goals in nine games and have posted seven shutouts.  

Balance has keyed the VWC offensive effort as 15 women have recorded an assist or scored a goal.  Junior Jessica Edelman (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) tops that effort with a nine-game scoring streak.  She has scored at least one goal in six games and added assists in four.  Edelman has scored eight goals and six assists for 22 points and lead the ODAC in all three categories.

Junior Christina Fernandes (Tinton Falls, N.J./Tinton Falls) has put in four goals and junior Bre Ingargiola (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) and sophomore Brittni Dennis (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) have added three goals each.

VWC, which is also currently ranked No. 2 in the South Atlantic region by Continental Tire/NSCAA, competes again on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Hollins University in an ODAC game starting at 2 p.m. The Marlins' next home game is Wednesday, Sept. 28, against Randolph-Macon College's Yellow Jackets, at the Trinder Center, at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--