The women's soccer team, ranked seventh in the University Athletic Association Preseason Conference Coaches' Poll, hopes to take the next step this year and make the NCAA Division III Tournament. But to do so, the team will have to survive the UAA.At the top of the conference is last year's Division III runners-up, the Washington University in St. Louis Bears. Last season, the Judges lost 2-0 to the Bears despite outshooting Washington 15-13.

This year, the Bears, who have won four straight UAA championships, are at the top of the UAA Preseason Conference Coaches' Poll. Six of their starters from last year's team return, including defending UAA Rookie of the Year sophomore goalie Clara Jacques. Last season, Jacques had six shutouts in 23 games.

Two of the Bears' top scorers from last year are also returning, including junior forward Emma Brown, who led the conference with 15 goals and 36 points. Also returning is fellow junior forward Lee Ann Felder, who had a team-leading eight assists last season.

The University of Rochester Yellowjackets are ranked second after receiving four of the poll's eight first place votes. Last year, the Judges lost 1-0 to Rochester, giving up a goal in the 15th minute after a turnover in the defensive zone.

This year, the Yellowjackets will hope to send their coach Terry Gurnett out on a winning note; the all-time winningest coach in Division III women's soccer history will step down this year after 33 years at the school.

Rochester returns all four of its top scorers from last season, including junior forward Ellen Coleman, who led the team last year with 11 goals, seven assists and 29 total points.

The University of Chicago Maroons are ranked third behind Rochester. Chicago is No. 22 in the Division III preseason rankings. Brandeis defeated Chicago, who was ranked No. 16 in Division III at the time.

Forward Tiffany Pacheco '11 and midfielder Sofia Vallone '11 each contributed goals in the 2-0 win.

Chicago also made the NCAA Division III Tournament last season, and two of its top four scorers-senior forward Sarah Loh and junior forward Allison Hegel-return to the team this season. Loh tied for the team lead with 26 points and had a team high of 12 goals despite missing two games last season. Hegel scored six goals despite starting just one game.

The Emory Eagles won the UAA in 2008 and made the NCAA Division III Tournament round of 32, but the team lost the majority of its starters from that squad before the 2009 season and subsequently finished sixth in the UAA with a record of 2-3-2. However, the squad did finish 8-5-5 overall for its 21st straight winning season.

This year, Emory returns all but four of its starters from last year's team, including 10 of its 13 goal scorers. Senior midfielder/forward Melanie Levy was the team's top scorer last year with six goals, including three game-winning goals.

Last season, the Judges beat the Eagles 4-2, with Pacheco and Melissa Gorenkoff '10 each scoring once and midfielder Mimi Theodore '12 scoring twice.

The Case Western Reserve University Spartans, who finished 9-6-3 last year for their first winning season since 2003, are ranked fifth in the preseason poll.

The Judges lost to Case 1-0 last year on a goal by then-senior midfielder Caroline Garber just under 10 minutes into the second half.

Garber has since graduated, but Case still returns eight of its starters from last year's squad.

Carnegie Mellon University comes into the season ranked sixth in the poll. The team will have a new coach, Yon Struble, who will try to help the team improve on last season's seventh-place UAA finish.

Fourteen players return from last year's squad, including five seniors. Senior midfielder Emily Overstreet has led the team in assists each of the past two seasons, and junior forward Elsa Wu had a team-high six goals last season.

Brandeis and Carnegie played to a 1-1 tie last season, with both teams scoring in the second half. Theodore gave the Judges the early lead in the 66th minute, but Wu scored off a deflection to tie the game just over a minute later.

New York University, ranked eighth in the conference, comes into the season ranked last in the preseason poll. The Violets featured just one senior on their team last year but will have nine in the 2010 season. Senior defender Katie Gaston, who was Honorable Mention all-UAA for two straight seasons, returns for the Violets.

Senior forward/midfielder Filiz Kipcakli, who led the team with eight goals and 19 points, returns as well.

The Judges defeated NYU 1-0 on a goal by Theodore just over a minute into the second half.

The women's soccer team starts the regular season tomorrow at the Massachusetts Institue of Technology at 3 p.m. and will kick off its UAA schedule against Case Oct. 2.