ROCK HILL, S.C. - With the 2012 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Tournament set to begin, four standout Anderson University players have earned All-Conference recognition, as announced by the league office Wednesday.

Junior forward Krystal Goss was named First-Team All-SAC after leading the Trojans and ranking fifth in the league with eight goals during the regular season. She tied for second in the SAC with seven assists for a total of 23 points, which placed her fourth in the point tally and 52nd nationally. The Newry, S.C. native posted the game-winner in the victory past Columbia College in mid-October.

"I am incredibly proud of Krystal for her accomplishments this year," said Anderson head coach Samar Azem. "She's truly changed her work rate and approach to the game as challenged to do so and the discipline she's put into doing that has paid dividends. To be selected first-team all-conference amongst some of the nation's leading forwards is a tremendous accomplishment and only a tribute to how smart and active of a forward she can be. I'm truly excited we have one more year with her and look forward to her continued growth."

Junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Neipp, sophomore midfielder Summer Miller and senior Adrienne Lough were named Second-Team All-SAC, with Neipp starting every match in goal for the Trojans this season. She also garnered All-SAC accolades at the conclusion of last season and has 14 career shutouts during her time between the pipes, including five this season. Neipp recorded 93 saves during the regular season - good enough for 37th in the nation - including a career-high 16 tally versus Wingate earlier this season.

"Kaitlyn is arguably one of the best goalkeepers I have ever coached," added Azem. "I feel as though she kept us in a lot of games we didn't really have a place in. She's phenomenal technically and very solid in the air. Teams have to work incredibly hard offensively to beat her. As a team we have to do better offensively which will earn us a spot amongst the best teams in order for her to get the recognition she deserves. She was second in the conference for saves and led for shutouts. This is a tribute to the fact that she played a pivotal role in our defensive success this year."

Miller, a holding midfielder who has helped lead a defensive unit that has held teams to a 1.02 GAA, ranking 61st in the nation, started 15 regular-season contests this season. Her defensive efforts have resulted in a school-record 10 shutouts, including three straight in September. Miller stands seventh on the team with 10 shots, including six shots on goal and notched the game-winning goal in the victory past Carson-Newman.

"Summer Miller has been very strong for us in the midfield," noted Azem. "She is an incredibly hard worker and tough player with a lot of athleticism behind her."

Lough earned second-team All-SAC accolades for the second consecutive year after seeing action in all 16 matches this season. She helped anchor the stellar defensive unit, while also providing an offensive threat. Lough scored a goal at Lincoln Memorial and added an assist versus Valdosta State.

"Adrienne is a phenomenal center back," said Azem. "I am incredibly proud of the way she played this year both defensively and building the attack for us. She has been consistent for us in the back, has racked up some points this year and is an incredible center back. I'm proud of her growth these last two years and to be named second team all-conference two years in a row is a tremendous accomplishment. She has been a vital part of the program's success these last two years."

The fifth-seeded Trojans visit fourth-seeded Catawba in a quarterfinal-round matchup in the 2012 Food Lion SAC Tournament.

"We certainly compete in an incredibly strong conference and many of the young ladies that have been recognized by the conference are very deserving of that recognition. My hope is as a program we continue to grow at the speed we are moving forward, so that we can not only reach our goal of national success but so that our players will be amongst the conference and the nation's best as well."

Wingate sophomore Jade Montgomery was named the SAC Women's Soccer Player of the Year. Montgomery was an offensive force during the regular season for Wingate, finishing with a SAC-best 18 goals and 42 points. She was Division II's leading goal scorer during the regular season and finished tied for fifth nationally in points.

Montgomery also notched six game-winners in 2012, the most in the conference and second-highest total in Division II. She had five multi-goal matches during the regular season, including hat tricks on Sept. 22 against Carson-Newman and Oct. 10 at Catawba.

The SAC's second and third-leading goal scorers this season - Lenoir-Rhyne's Leah Mullins and Tusculum's Tramicka James - joined Montgomery in earning All-SAC First Team forward accolades. James finished second in the conference and tied for fifth in Division II with five game-winning goals during the regular season, while Mullins recorded 11 goals and three assists, earning her the conference's Freshman of the Year award as well.

James, a senior, has now been selected to three-straight All-SAC First Teams.

Goss and Wingate's Shelby Forza tied in the voting for the final first-team All-SAC forward spot..

In addition to Mullins, five more players from regular-season champion Lenoir-Rhyne earned spots on the All-SAC First Team in midfielders Hanna Kiebel and Carley Griffin, defenders Brianna Belsky and Amber Madriage, and keeper Caitlin Scruggs.

Belsky, Madriage and Scruggs anchored an L-R defense that allowed just two goals in conference matches and finished fourth in the nation with an overall goals-against average of 0.38 per match. Scruggs led Division II with a save percentage of 92.3-percent, while Griffin was an All-SAC First Team pick for the second-straight season.

Two Newberry players - midfielder Gabrielle Brodie and defender Cassie Smith - were named to the All-SAC First Team, as was Lincoln Memorial midfielder Josefin Hedstrom and Wingate defender Kelly Moldenhauer.

Brodie finished fourth in the SAC with nine goals in the regular season, while Hedstrom scored four times. Smith and Moldenhauer led two of the conference's stingiest defenses, as Newberry and Wingate tied for the third-fewest goals allowed with 16.

Moldenhauer's selection to the First Team was the senior's third-straight.

Catawba and Anderson, which finished fourth and fifth in the SAC standings respectively, had the most All-SAC Second Team picks with three apiece.

First-year Lenoir-Rhyne head coach Cally Morrill was voted as the conference's Coach of the Year. Morrill's L-R team went 13-1-2 overall and spent most of the regular season in the national polls, including a No. 11 ranking this week.

SAC Player of the Year: Jade Montgomery, Wingate
SAC Freshman of the Year: Leah Mullins, Lenoir-Rhyne
SAC Coach of the Year: Cally Morrill, Lenoir-Rhyne

All-SAC First Team

Forward
Jade Montgomery, Wingate
Tramicka James, Tusculum
Leah Mullins, Lenoir-Rhyne
Shelby Forza, Wingate*
Krystal Goss, Anderson*

Midfielder
Hanna Kiebel, Lenoir-Rhyne
Gabrielle Brodie, Newberry
Josefin Hedstrom, Lincoln Memorial
Carley Griffin, Lenoir-Rhyne

Defender
Kelly Moldenhauer, Wingate
Brianna Belsky, Lenoir-Rhyne
Amber Madriaga, Lenoir-Rhyne
Cassie Smith, Newberry

Goalkeeper
Caitlin Scruggs, Lenoir-Rhyne

All-SAC Second Team

Forward
Garcelle Alequine, Lenoir-Rhyne
Juliana Conte, Catawba
Kendall Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne

Midfielder
Sophie Waller, Catawba
Alisha Pugh, Tusculum
Alyssa Morris, Mars Hill
Summer Miller, Anderson

Defender
Anna Toole, Catawba
Kourtney Kavic, Tusculum
Adrienne Lough, Anderson
Sam Adams, Lincoln Memorial

Goalkeeper
Kaitlyn Neipp, Anderson

* Tied for final first-team forward spot

SAC Stat Champions
Goals per Match: Jade Montgomery, Wingate (1.29)
Points per Match: Jade Montgomery, Wingate (3.00)
Assists per Match: Alyssa Morris, Mars Hill (0.44)
Goals Against Average: Caitlin Scruggs, Lenoir-Rhyne (0.42)
Save Percentage: Caitlin Scruggs, Lenoir-Rhyne (.913)
Team Points per Match: Wingate (8.53)
Team Goals per Match: Wingate (3.00)
Team Assists per Match: Wingate (2.53)
Team Shutouts: Anderson (10), Lenoir-Rhyne (10)
Team Goals Against Average: Lenoir-Rhyne (0.48)
Team Winning Percentage: Wingate (.900)
Fair Play Award: Lincoln Memorial