The Stanislaus women’s soccer team is ranked #1 in the West Region and #7 overall in the nation for the first time this season, according to the National Soccer Coaches Associations of America.
The Warriors were ranked #2 for the past six weeks behind the Western Washington Vikings. The Vikings lost this past week to Western Oregon, dropping their overall record on the season to 12-1.
That loss allowed the undefeated Warriors who are 14-0-2, to leapfrog the Vikings who had held the first spot in the rankings since the first poll on Sept. 10.
“We are thrilled to be the top ranked team in the West after the first poll. However, we realize there is a lot of season left to play,” Head coach Gabe Bolton said. “We are just focused on one day at a time.”
The Warriors had that same mentality as they went into the first two games after being ranked first in the West Region. Last Friday the Warriors took down Cal State East Bay 2-1. Senior forward Karenee Demery got the scoring started in the first half, and then finished the scoring with the game-winning goal in the seventy-seventh minute.
On Sunday, the Warriors clinched the number one seed for the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championships as they took down Sonoma State 1-0. The win also clinched the CCAA North Division. Demery scored only twelve minutes into the game and it turned out to be the winning goal.
That was Demery’s nineteenth goal on the season, tying her own school record.
The Warriors are showing their depth starting with the twelve juniors and seniors that are on the team. The underclassmen are provided a spark to but coach Bolton can see the reasons to their success.
“This is a very experienced team, they have been here before.” Bolton said. “We are just focusing on learning and improving every day. If we can do that we know the success will come.”
The Warriors look for that success as they wrap on the final two games of the season. The first is scheduled for Nov. 1 as they take on Humboldt State with the final penned for Nov. 3 against Cal State East Bay.
With the first seed clinched, the Warriors look to capture the CCAA championship as the CCAA championships are held at Warrior Stadium, Nov. 8-10.