USC Region X Poll

TACOMA, Wash. — United Soccer Coaches (USC) released its NCAA Division III regional rankings on Tuesday with the eight-time Northwest Conference Champion Pacific Lutheran University women's soccer team cracking the Region X Poll.

The Lutes (4-2-4, 4-0-2 NWC) are riding a six game unbeaten run and enter the poll ranked eighth in Region X. PLU is one of two NWC schools in the poll, joining crosstown nemesis and seventh-ranked University of Puget Sound (5-2-3, 4-0-2 NWC). A trio of California schools sit atop the poll with Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (7-0-2) remaining the region's top squad followed by California Lutheran University (8-1-1) and Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges (9-2-1). Texas schools Trinity University (7-1-3) and Hardin-Simmons University (7-1-2) round out the top five while California-based Occidental College (5-1-2) is sixth.

PLU replaces Linfield University in the poll, a squad the Lutes defeated 2-0 on Sunday, getting two goals from Liv Olson while Abby Winkler made five saves, becoming just the seventh Lute in history to notch 200 career saves. The Lutes are back in action on Saturday, facing in-state rival Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.