NAIA Women's Soccer Top 25 Poll Announced
CU No. 4, NU No. 25
KANSAS CITY, Mo – Make it four-consecutive weeks for Cumberland (Tenn.) being the No. 1-ranked squad in the NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday.
The Bulldogs took home 588 points and 18-of-21 first-place votes, earning their fourth No. 1 ranking in school history.
Cumberland (13-0-1) has won 12 matches in-a-row since its 1-1 tie to then-No. 9 William Carey (Miss.) on Sept. 5. The Bulldogs are fresh off a 2-0 blanking of Asbury (Ky.) on Oct. 23 – the team’s fifth-consecutive shutout in 2014.
The strong Cumberland defense continues to be dominant, allowing only five goals to date. Opposing clubs have been goose-egged in nine of the last ten contests.
Cumberland last gave up a goal on Sept. 23 in a 2-1 overtime win over then ninth-ranked Martin Methodist (Tenn.).
Lindsey Wilson’s 6-1 defeat of Cumberland on Oct. 27 is not reflected in these ratings due to the timing of the weekly ratings calendar.
The Bulldogs wrap up the regular season on Nov. 3 against No. 9 Northwestern Ohio.
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (15-1-0) comes in at No. 2 with 568 points and two first-place votes. The Eagles are flying high with a ten-match winning streak and ended their regular season with a 5-0 win over Warner (Fla.) on Oct. 26.
Embry-Riddle finished the 2014 slate with three-straight shutouts, outscoring teams 8-0 during that stretch.
William Carey (14-1-1) jumped up one spot to No. 3, taking home 558 points and the final first-place vote. The Crusaders offense exploded for seven goals in a 7-1 runaway victory against Brewton-Parker (Ga.) on Oct. 23.
A late-season, top-five Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) battle looms on Thursday as William Carey travels to take on No. 5 Martin Methodist (Tenn.).
The rest of the top five includes No. 4 Concordia (Ore.) (14-1-2) with 530 points and Martin Methodist (11-2-1) earning 520 points.
Quite a bit of maneuvering took place this week as the regular season comes to a close. Only five schools held their position from the Oct. 21 poll.
No. 6 Westmont (Calif.) was the biggest riser this week, jumping up from No. 11 following wins over then-No. 10 Vanguard (Calif.) and then-No. 18 Biola (Calif.). Concordia (Calif.) dropped the furthest out of any school, falling seven spots to No. 15 after dropping two-straight 1-0 decisions to Hope International (Calif.) and The Master’s (Calif.), respectively. The Eagles have now lost three-consecutive matches.
Two schools snuck into the rankings this week, as No. 24 Westminster (Utah) and No. 25 Northwest (Wash.) found themselves in the poll.
No. 21 Grace (Ind.) held its position in the Top 25 from last week’s poll, and is ranked for the third occasion in Lancers’ history.
Thirteen conferences/association of independents/unaffiliated groups are represented throughout the Top 25, led by five teams from the Golden State Athletic Conference. The SSAC and Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference are tied with three teams ranked in the poll.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The seventh regular-season Top 25 Poll will be announced on Nov. 4.
The second Modified Ratings Percentage Index (MRPI) was released on Oct. 22, with William Carey claiming the No. 1 position. The rest of the top five included No. 2 Embry-Riddle, No. 3 Cumberland – who held the top-spot in the first MRPI of 2014 – No. 4 Northwestern Ohio and No. 5 Concordia.
The final edition of the MRPI will be revealed on Nov. 16.
For the complete women’s soccer ratings calendar, click here.
Notes: (All information dates back to 1999) Cumberland (Tenn.) sits atop the ratings for the fourth time in-a-row, and it is the fourth No. 1 ranking in school history… Embry-Riddle (Fla.) remained at No. 2, its highest ranking since being No. 1 on Oct. 8, 2013… No. 21 Grace (Ind.) held its position in the Top 25 from last week’s poll, and finds itself ranked for the third occasion in school history… Eighth-ranked Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) owns the longest active streak of consecutive appearances in the Top 25 with 156 mentions, including a string of 126-straight top 10 rankings… Lindsey Wilson boasts the most top spot rankings at 47, followed by former NAIA member Azusa Pacific (Calif.) with 33. … No. 4 Concordia (Ore.) owns the second longest active streak at 149-straight polls … Cumberland and Concordia remain the only two teams to be No. 1 in 2014.
2014 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 6 (Oct. 28)
|
RANK |
LAST ^ |
SCHOOL (1st PLACE VOTES) |
2014 RECORD |
FINAL POINTS |
|
1 |
1 |
Cumberland (Tenn.) (18) |
13-0-1 |
588 |
|
2 |
2 |
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) |
15-1-0 |
568 |
|
3 |
4 |
William Carey (Miss.) (1) |
14-1-1 |
558 |
|
4 |
3 |
Concordia (Ore.) |
14-1-1 |
530 |
|
5 |
5 |
Martin Methodist (Tenn.) |
11-2-1 |
520 |
|
6 |
11 |
Westmont (Calif.) |
12-3-0 |
474 |
|
7 |
9 |
Spring Arbor (Mich.) |
15-1-1 |
470 |
|
8 |
7 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
8-3-3 |
461 |
|
9 |
6 |
Northwestern Ohio |
13-1-1 |
445 |
|
10 |
12 |
Mobile (Ala.) |
11-2-2 |
417 |
|
11 |
10 |
Vanguard (Calif.) |
13-2-1 |
405 |
|
12 |
13 |
The Master's (Calif.) |
11-4-1 |
369 |
|
13 |
14 |
Northwood (Fla.) |
12-4-2 |
356 |
|
14 |
16 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
14-1-0 |
349 |
|
15 |
8 |
Concordia (Calif.) |
11-5-1 |
321 |
|
16 |
17 |
Hastings (Neb.) |
13-2-1 |
304 |
|
17 |
15 |
Cal State San Marcos |
9-2-3 |
298 |
|
18 |
19 |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
11-3-1 |
264 |
|
19 |
22 |
Davenport (Mich.) |
10-3-3 |
226 |
|
20 |
18 |
Biola (Calif.) |
12-4-0 |
216 |
|
21 |
21 |
Grace (Ind.) |
12-3-2 |
213 |
|
21 |
20 |
Siena Heights (Mich.) |
13-3-1 |
213 |
|
23 |
23 |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
13-1-0 |
181 |
|
24 |
RV |
Westminster (Utah) |
12-3-1 |
155 |
|
25 |
RV |
Northwest (Wash.) |
10-5-2 |
120 |
|
|
Others Receiving Votes: Science & Arts (Okla.), 113; Trinity International (Ill.), 98; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), 89; Kansas Wesleyan, 27; Aquinas (Mich.), 23; SCAD Savannah (Ga.), 14; Missouri Valley, 14;Georgia Gwinnett, 12; Baker (Kan.), 11; Carroll (Mont.), 11; Trinity Christian (Ill.), 3; Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), 3; AIB (Iowa), 3.
^ 2014 NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No.5 (Oct. 21)