Claremont, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer Women's Soccer team is ranked fifth in the West Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, it was announced this week.

The Sagehens are the highest-rated SCIAC team in the poll, with Cal Lutheran in eighth and Chapman in ninth. Undefeated Trinity (Texas) leads the poll, followed by Hardin-Simmons, Linfield and Puget Sound.

Pomona-Pitzer faces a big game at home this afternoon when it hosts Cal Lutheran in a battle for first place in the SCIAC at the midway point of the conference schedule. Both teams enter the game at 5-1 in league play, while the Sagehens are 7-1-1 overall and the Regals are 8-3. La Verne is in third place at 3-2-1 and Chapman is fourth at 3-3, which will put the winner of today's game in the driver's seat heading into the second half of the conference schedule.

A year ago, the two teams met in the SCIAC semifinals after the Regals swept the two regular season games. The Sagehens pulled the upset, knocking off the top seed on the road 2-1 in overtime behind two goals from current sophomore Julia Dohner (pictured).

This year, junior midfielder Nicole Quilliam has the team lead in scoring with six goals and three assists, after a pair of two-goal games on back-to-back Saturdays. Freshman Danika Bethune ranks second on the team with four goals and two assists, while senior Allie Tao leads the Sagehens in assists with four. Pomona-Pitzer's two goalies have split time almost evenly and have similar stats - sophomore Annie Wedel has an .800 save percentage and an 0.79 goals against average, and freshman Corey Goelz has an .818 save percentage and an 0.96 GAA. Cal Lutheran is led by Kristina Hulse, who has seven goals and eight assists on the year.

Pomona-Pitzer has had success in the early part of the 2013 season due largely to a deep roster that features 21 players in the regular rotation (including both goalies). The advantage in depth can be seen in the stats as well. So far this season, the Sagehens have a narrow 48-47 edge in shots in the first half, but a commanding 84-36 edge in the second half.
 

To view the complete NSCAA West Regional poll, go to the following link:

http://www.nscaatv.com/rankings/2514/NCAADivisionIII/women/West/Poll6