Sept. 29, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – As one of two teams remaining in the country without a loss or tie, the South Carolina women’s soccer team earned its second ever unanimous Top 10 ranking this week after the polls by the NSCAA, Soccer America and Soccer Times were released Tuesday. The rankings are the highest in program history for South Carolina in each poll.

The Gamecocks come in at No. 8 in the NSCAA coaches poll, a jump of four spots from last week after victories against Vanderbilt and Kentucky last week in the SEC weekend opener. South Carolina is ranked No. 7 by both Soccer America magazine and Soccer Times, a poll also voted on by coaches around the country. Carolina jumped six spots this week in the Soccer America poll and four spots in the Soccer Times poll.

The previous high rankings for the Gamecocks came in the 2007 season when the team was No. 10 by the NSCAA, No. 7 by Soccer America and No. 9 by Soccer Times the week of September 17.

Under head coach Shelley Smith, the Gamecocks are one of only two teams remaining in the nation with a perfect 10-0-0 record. The Gamecocks currently boast the nation’s third-ranked defense (0.200 goals against average) and 18th-ranked offense (2.80 goals per game). Redshirt junior Mollie Patton is tied for the NCAA lead with eight solo shutouts and is first in the NCAA with a 0.104 goals against average.

No. 8 South Carolina (10-0-0, 2-0-0 SEC) returns to action this weekend when the team travels to the Magnolia State to take on Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The game against the Rebels (7-2-0, 1-0-0 SEC) kicks off at 8 p.m. EST Friday night.