Lewis soccer looks to improve on its preseason pick of eighth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference

Lewis University’s women’s soccer team placed eighth in the annual Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll. The Flyers were 9-7-2 last season and had an 8-5 ledger in league play.

Lewis received 128 points and are sandwiched between Maryville (162) and Lindenwood (125). Truman State grabbed five of the 16 first place votes and 206 points overall to be the coaches choice to win the league after falling to Bellarmine in the GLVC semifinals a year ago. McKendree nabbed six first place votes and 200 points to place second while defending GLVC champion, Rockhurst had one first-place vote but is picked fifth behind Bellarmine and Quincy in the poll. The Knights received two first place votes while Southern Indiana and GLVC newcomer Lindenwood each received a first place vote.

Kailey Parnello (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Central Catholic) was Lewis’ leading scorer a season ago with eight goals and two assists for a total of 18 points.

Lewis will open the 2019 season at Ashland Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. in Ashland, Ohio before traveling to Tiffin, Ohio for a Sunday match against Tiffin.

The first home match for the Flyers will be on Wednesday (Sept. 11) when they take on Purdue Northwest at 6 p.m.

The Flyers will take on Northern Michigan in a preseason scrimmage this Saturday (Aug. 24) at 1 p.m. in Marquette, Mich.

• Lewis University’s men’s soccer team placed 10th in the annual Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll. The Flyers were 4-10-3 last season and had a 3-9-1 ledger in league play.

Lewis received 106 points and were sandwiched between Quincy (108) and Missouri-St. Louis (96). Bellarmine grabbed nine of the 16 first place votes and 210 overall to be the coaches choice to win the league after a second place finish last season. Maryville nabbed two first place votes and 195 points to place second while defending GLVC champion, Southern Indiana had five first-place votes but finished fourth behind Indianapolis in the poll.

Konrad Malinowski was the team’s leading scorer last season with five goals and two assist.

Lewis will open at home against Purdue Northwest on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Lewis Stadium.