Westfield State Picked To Claim 2009 MASCAC Women's Soccer Championship

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. (August 26, 2009) - The Owls of Westfield State College are the pre-season pick to win the 2009 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Women's Soccer championship in a vote of the league's coaches.

Westfield State captured seven first place votes to amass 63 points in taking the top spot in the poll, as the 2008 co-regular season and conference tournament champion Owls outdistanced second place Bridgewater State's total of 56 points. The Bears, who shared last year's regular season crown with Westfield State, captured the other first place vote in this year's poll, while Worcester State is next in third place with 45 points. Salem State and Fitchburg State follow in fourth and fifth place with 38 and 32 points, respectively, while MCLA is next in sixth place with 28 points. Framingham State and Massachusetts Maritime round out this year's poll in seventh and eighth place with 18 and eight points, respectively.

Now in its 39th season of existence, the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference is comprised of eight state member institutions that sponsor 17 championships in NCAA Division III play. Over 2,600 student-athletes participate in intercollegiate athletics at MASCAC members Bridgewater State College, Fitchburg State College, Framingham State College, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State College, Westfield State College and Worcester State College and compete for league titles in the sports of baseball, men's & women's basketball, men's & women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's ice hockey, women's lacrosse, men's & women's soccer, softball, men's & women's indoor and outdoor track & field and women's volleyball.