Aug. 10, 2010
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF women's soccer received a lot of attention Tuesday. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) released its preseason national top-25 and the Knights entered the poll at No. 25, while junior goalkeeper Aline Reis (Campinas, Brazil) and sophomore defender Bianca Joswiak (Berlin, Germany) were voted onto the 2010 Conference USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team.
Along with a spot on the preseason squad, Reis also was selected by the league's coaches as the C-USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The Black and Gold finished 2009 with a 17-5-1 record and was No. 17 in the final NSCAA rankings. At one point a year ago, the Knights were as high as No. 8 in the country and eventually went on to serve as a national seed in the NCAA Tournament.
An All-C-USA First Team honoree last season and an All-American as a freshman, Reis holds a 1.12 goals-against average through her first two campaigns as a Knight. She also has recorded an .808 save percentage while amassing 13 shutouts in net. Reis, a Brazil National Team camp participant in 2009, has guided the Black and Gold to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances as the starting keeper as well as the C-USA regular-season title as a sophomore.
In her first year at the Division I level, Joswiak, the lone sophomore on the preseason squad, earned a spot on the All-C-USA Third Team in 2009 as well as the All-Freshman Team. Her work on the backline enabled the Knights to post 10 shutouts and hold opponents to 20 goals in 23 matches. Joswiak also helped the offense by scoring once and notching a pair of assists.
The Knights will have their first test of 2010 in a scrimmage vs. Florida International Friday at 7 p.m. UCF will then open up the regular season at home against No. 11 Florida Sunday, Aug. 22, at 7 p.m.