R-MC Sits Second, Three Tight for Next Three Positions

FOREST, Va. --- Eight-time reigning league champion Washington and Lee University was picked as the favorite to hoist yet another conference trophy as the Generals were tabbed atop the ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll. W&L received a full allotment of 64 points powered by eight first place votes. Randolph-Macon College sits second with 55 tallies and the remaining top nod.

The next three positions in the annual survey of the conference's head coaches are separated by just four points. Roanoke College is third with 45 points, followed by Lynchburg College and Shenandoah University with 43 and 41 markers apiece, respectively.

Washington and Lee put together the most successful women's lacrosse season in ODAC history in 2017. The Generals set ODAC and school records with 19 wins that included an 8-0 run thru the conference regular season. Following a bye thru the conference tournament quarterfinals, top-seeded W&L defeated #4 Lynchburg, 14-4, in the semifinals. That setup a date with #2 Randolph-Macon in the ODAC title game for a fourth straight season. The Generals scored five unanswered goals to open the contest, powering them to a 7-3 triumph and an ODAC-record 18th crown.

RELATED: 2017 ODAC Tournament Bracket

W&L's march to history continued in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Generals took down Mary Washington, 8-2, and were selected to stay at home for the next two rounds. Washington and Lee defeated Catholic, 9-6, and used an overtime goal from ODAC Player of the Year Hayley Soutter to top William Smith, 7-6, and punch a ticket to Salem for the national semifinals. That victory also marked W&L's 15th straight win, tying a school record from the 2013 campaign.

The Generals matched up with The College of New Jersey in the semifinals. After going into the break ahead 2-1, W&L was out-scored by the Lions, 3-2, in the second half to force overtime. TCNJ, the eventual national runner-up, picked up the goal it needed 8:12 into the extra frame, securing a 5-4 win.

RELATED: 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament Bracket

Washington and Lee, which finished last season ranked third in the country by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), kick off the season highly ranked in two national polls. The Generals open where they finished in the IWLCA chart, sitting third behind reigning national champion Gettysburg College and TCNJ.

In the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Top-20 published by US Lacrosse Magazine, the Generals are a couple spots lower on the list, taking up position in fifth. TCNJ, Middlebury College, Gettysburg, and Franklin & Marshall College occupy the four higher slots.

RELATED: IWLCA Preseason Coaches Poll | Nike/US Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Top-20

Entering the 2018 season, 23-of-39 All-ODAC honorees are back from 2017 rosters. That includes a league-high for reigning ODAC Coach of the Year Brooke O'Brien and Washington and Lee. Still, the Generals will have to do without three All-ODAC First Team selections and five starters, including Soutter.

Randolph-Macon welcomes back the most first team honorees with three of the seven standouts set to return in Ashland. One-two scoring duo Alex Lightfoot and Alicia Hsieh provide plenty of fuel to R-MC's attack, while Abby Roth will be counted on to help anchor the defense. Hsieh led the ODAC in points (74) and goals (64) while Lightfoot topped the table in assists (49) and was second in points (69).

Among W&L's league-best six returning All-ODAC athletes are two first teamers in midfielder Haley Tucker and defender Riley Garcia. Tucker was named by Inside Lacrosse as the ILWomen Division III Breakout Player of the Year in June, while Garcia helped W&L registered the second-fewest goals allowed per game (4.14) in the country behind TCNJ.

The remaining two first team returners don Lynchburg and Roanoke colors. Alicia Sandoval triggers the Hornets offense, while Emma Boris spearheads the Maroons the defense.

RELATED: 2017 All-ODAC Women's Lacrosse Awards

The 2018 season begins with non-conference play on Sunday, February 10. The first set of ODAC contests are slated for Monday, March 5. The conference tournament begins with quarterfinal action on Wednesday, May 2. The semifinals and finals will be hosted by the top seed on Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6.

Listed below is the complete 2018 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll as well as preview capsules for each of the ODAC's women's lacrosse programs.  For more information on ODAC women's lacrosse, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

*Save % and GAA noted for 2016 returning starter; if two keepers qualified for leaders, top values shown

2018 Poll Position: 6th 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 10-7/4-4 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: #5 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Rachael Bragg Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Kayla O'Sullivan (D)   Third Team: Anna O'Hara (A) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 48 (8) -- Anna O'Hara   Goals: 42 (2) -- Anna O'Hara   Assists: 7 -- Sarah Yashinskie   Ground Balls: 38 (8) -- Kayla O'Sullivan   Draw Controls: 47 (8) -- Kayla O'Sullivan   Caused Turnovers: 23 (7) -- Kayla O'Sullivan   Saves: No returning keeper   Save Pct.: No returning keeper   Goals-Against-Avg.: No returning keeper		2018 Poll Position: 3rd 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 6-2/6-11 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: #3 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Mary Schwartz Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Emma Boris (D)   Second Team: None   Third Team: Katie Clements (M) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 22 -- Katie Clements   Goals: 15 -- Katie Clements   Assists: 7 -- Katie Clements/Jenn Schwechheimer   Ground Balls: 47 (2) -- Emma Boris   Draw Controls: 53 (6) -- Katie Clements   Caused Turnovers: 34 (2) -- Emma Boris   Saves: None   Save Pct.: None   Goals-Against-Avg.: 2.60 -- Elle Anderson
2018 Poll Position: 7th 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 6-10/3-5 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did no qualify Head Coach: Charlotte Dixon-Graves (interim) Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 32 -- Madison Iandoli   Goals: 29 -- Madison Iandoli   Assists: 9 -- Taylor Campellone   Ground Balls: 28 -- Amber Dubois   Draw Controls: 13 -- Madison Iandoli   Caused Turnovers: 16 -- Cat Thresher   Saves: 2 -- Sarah Sedaghat   Save Pct.: .333 -- Sarah Sedaghat   Goals-Against-Avg.: 22.15 -- Sarah Sedaghat		2018 Poll Position: 5th 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 7-11/3-5 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: #6 Seed/Eliminated in semifinals Head Coach: Lindsey Lutz Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Anni McCorry (A), Peyton Krevonick (D)   Third Team: Jacque Hemler (M), Jen Northam (D) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 40 -- Annie McCorry   Goals: 33 (10) -- Annie McCorry   Assists: 9 -- Abby Zorrilla   Ground Balls: 42 -- Jacque Hemler   Draw Controls: 37 (6) -- Jacque Hemler   Caused Turnovers: 27 (4) -- Jacque Hemler   Saves: 49 -- Madeleine Card   Save Pct.: .398 (8) -- Madeleine Card   Goals-Against-Avg.: 11.23 (7) -- Madeleine Card
2018 Poll Position: 4th 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 9-8/4-4 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: #4 Seed/Eliminated in semifinals Head Coach: Bruce Reid Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Alicia Sandoval (A)   Second Team: Dorrie MacGregor (M), Rachel Henderson (D)   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 67 (3) -- Alicia Sandoval   Goals: 40 (5) -- Alicia Sandoval   Assists: 21 (5) -- Alicia Sandoval   Ground Balls: 43 (5) -- Rachel Henderson   Draw Controls: 82 (2) -- Dorrie MacGregor   Caused Turnovers: 22 (9) -- Rachel Henderson   Saves: 93 (5) -- Chelsea Shultis   Save Pct.: .421 (6) -- Chelsea Shultis   Goals-Against-Avg.: 10.25 (6) -- Chelsea Shultis		2018 Poll Position: 8th 2017 Records - Overall: 3-13/1-7 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Kendyl Clarkson Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Non   Third Team: Megan Schallock (M) Returning Statistical Leaders   Points: 46 -- Megan Schallock   Goals: 35 (7) -- Megan Schallock   Assists: 11 -- Megan Schallock   Ground Balls: 45 (4) -- Jordan Callahan   Draw Controls: 77 (4) -- Megan Schallock   Caused Turnovers: 26 (5) -- Megan Schallock   Saves: 63 (9) -- Alexis Pulliam   Save Pct.: .307 (10) -- Alexis Pulliam   Goals-Against-Avg.: 14.06 (9) -- Alexis Pulliam
2018 Poll Position: 9th 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 3-13/0-8 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Alexis Waggoner Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 22 -- Hannah Bradley   Goals: 19 -- Hannah Bradley   Assists: 7 -- Teagan Stanley   Ground Balls: 36 -- Chrissy Shackleford   Draw Controls: 45 (9) -- Nicole Dorton   Caused Turnovers: 12 -- Teagan Stanley   Saves: 155 (1) -- Chrissy Shackleford   Save Pct.: .411 (7) -- Chrissy Shackleford   Goals-Against-Avg.: 15.91 (10) -- Chrissy Shackleford		2018 Poll Position: 1st 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 19-2/8-0 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: #1 Seed/ODAC Champion Head Coach: Brooke O'Brien Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Haley Tucker (M), Riley Garcia (D)   Second Team: Jess Castelo (A), Cordelia Peters (M), Caitlin Anderson (D), Elliot Gilbert (GK)   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 50 (7) -- Haley Tucker   Goals: 37 (6) -- Haley Tucker   Assists: 15 -- Jess Castelo/Cordelia Peters   Ground Balls: 37 (10) -- Cordelia Peters   Draw Controls: 103 (1) -- Haley Tucker   Caused Turnovers: 21 -- Cordelia Peters   Saves: 71 (8) -- Elliot Gilbert   Save Pct.: .511 (2) -- Elliot Gilbert   Goals-Against-Avg.: 4.07 (1) -- Elliot Gilbert
2018 Poll Position: 2nd 2017 Records - Overall/ODAC: 11-6/7-1 2017 Tournament - Seed/Result: #2 Seed/Runner-up Head Coach: MK Geratowski Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Alex Lightfoot (A), Alicia Hsieh (M), Abby Roth (D)   Second Team: None   Third Team: Saunders Riley (A) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 74 (1) -- Alicia Hsieh   Goals: 64 (1) -- Alicia Hsieh   Assists: 49 (1) -- Alex Lightfoot   Ground Balls: 26 -- Hannah Jones   Draw Controls: 38 -- Hannah Jones   Caused Turnovers: 22 (9) -- Abby Roth   Saves: 1 -- Katie Thompson   Save Pct.: .500 -- Katie Thompson   Goals-Against-Avg.: 1.55 -- Katie Thompson