Eastern Washington favored to win Big Sky women’s soccer title

Defending Big Sky Conference women’s soccer champion Eastern Washington is the favorite to win this year’s regular-season title.

The Eagles, who finished fifth in the standings last year, went on to the NCAA Tournament after a penalty-kick shootout win over Northern Arizona to win the conference tournament.

EWU (13-5-4 overall last year) had eight first-place votes. The Eagles return last season’s Big Sky offensive MVP and Golden Boot winner, Chloe Williams, who spent time this offseason at the United States Women’s National Team Under-23 training camp.

She will be joined by last season’s assists leader, Aimie Inthoulay.

Northern Arizona was picked second by the league’s coaches with 80 points and one first-place vote.

Montana earned third place in the preseason poll and two-time defending regular-season champ Idaho is picked fourth.

The 2017 Big Sky Conference tournament will take place November 1, 3 and 5 at the home field of the regular-season champion.