Sept. 8, 2003
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's soccer team vaulted into the top-10 in the NSCAA Coaches' Poll, landing at No. 6 in the most recent poll released on Monday after spending the first two weeks unranked. The Broncos are ranked seventh in the Soccer American poll, rising eight spots from their ranking a week ago.
The big jump in both polls is a result of a big weekend that produced fantastic results for the Broncos. Santa Clara tied seventh-ranked (Soccer America) Creighton in the first game of the LMU Fall Classic before handing No. 4 (NSCAA Coaches' Poll) SMU a 3-1 loss on Sunday.
The last time that SCU was ranked this high was in the 2000 season when the Broncos reached No. 2 in the NSCAA, Soccer America and Soccer News poll. It also marks the highest ranking in second year head coach Cameron Rast's tenure. Only four games into his sophomore season at the helm of his alma mater, Rast has accumulated a 13-6-2 record.
Santa Clara is currently 3-0-1 and has allowed only one goal thus far in the season. The team had a 427 minute scoreless streak dating back to last season snapped in Sunday's win over SMU. Anchoring the stingy Bronco defense is junior All-American Ryan Cochrane who was honored as the West Coast Conference Player of the Week for his efforts over the weekend. He was also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week.
SCU returns to action this weekend with a pair of matches in the Bay Area. On Friday the Broncos will take on Holy Cross in the first game of the USF/Diadora Classic. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Negoesco Stadium on the USF campus. Sunday's 3:30 p.m. game against No. 21 California will be played on the Cal campus in Berkeley.