September 4, 2007

Women of UP take over top spot
Posted by The Oregonian

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The shorthanded University of Portland women's soccer team is atop the national polls one week into the regular season after an impressive Labor Day weekend. The Pilots moved up from the preseason No. 4 to No. 1 in the first regular season polls announced on Tuesday.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Soccer Buzz Magazine and Soccer America Magazine all have Portland at No. 1 after the Pilots defeated previously No. 6 Florida State in overtime on Saturday by a 2-1 margin and then dealt Oregon State a 4-1 loss on Monday.

Portland played the opening weekend without All-American midfielder Megan Rapinoe and sophomore defender Megan Sweeney, who are both nursing knee injuries. The Pilots were also without All-American defender Stephanie Lopez (USA) and redshirt freshman midfielder Sophie Schmidt (Canada), who are with their respective National Teams at the World Cup
in China.

The No. 1 ranking marks the first time the Pilots have held the top spot in the regular season since the 2005 season, when Portland was No. 1 a majority of the season and went on to win the national championship with a 24-0-2 record.

All three teams ranked higher than the Pilots in the preseason stumbled out of the gates. North Carolina, the defending national champions and unanimous preseason No. 1, suffered a 1-0 loss at home to South Carolina. Notre Dame tied Michigan 0-0 in their season-opener, while UCLA dropped a 2-1 decision at Texas.

Portland received 20 of the 30 first-place votes in the NSCAA Coaches Poll.

The Pilots will head to Seattle, Wash. this weekend to compete in the Nike Husky Invitational hosted by the University of Washington. Portland will face Cal State Fullerton on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and then take on Purdue on Sunday at 11 a.m.

--University of Portland