October 24, 2007
 

Yellowjacket Men Fourth in First NCAA Poll

BILLINGS, Mont. – The dream season continued for the Montana State Billings men’s soccer team on Wednesday.  The Yellowjackets were ranked fourth in the Far West Region by the NCAA Men’s Soccer Committee.  It was the first regional poll of the season.

The Yellowjackets, who prior to 2007 had never had a winning season, are 12-4-1 overall and 10-2-1 against NCAA Far West Region teams.  Wednesday’s poll considered games played through Sunday, so it did not include the Jackets’ 2-0 win against Seattle Pacific University on Monday.

The top four teams in the final regional poll on Nov. 5 will be invited to the NCAA Far West Regional.  That means there is only one regular season poll remaining before the NCAA Tournament selections.

“We’re very pleased to see we’ve been ranked in the top four in a poll that doesn’t yet include our win against Seattle Pacific,” said Yellowjacket head coach Dan McNally.  “Right now we’re in a good position, but all that matters is being ranked in top four on Nov. 5 and being selected to national tournament.”

Seattle University is ranked first in the Far West, followed by Sonoma State at No. 2 and Cal State Dominguez Hills at No. 3.  The top three teams appear certain to make the tournament, which will be hosted by the top seed on either Nov. 8 and 10 or on Nov. 9 and 11. 

The Yellowjackets’ season in terms of the regional rankings is finished.  They play at University of Great Falls on Saturday, but that game will have no bearing on the regional rankings since it is not a Division II contest.  MSUB will now hope that its 10-2-1 record can stand up to the final games of the season for fifth-ranked Grand Canyon and sixth-ranked Western Washington.

Grand Canyon is 9-4-3 in the region and finishes with four road games in the span of seven days in Hawaii.  All four Hawaii schools currently have losing records, so even four Grand Canyon wins would not guarantee the ‘Lopes enough points to jump past the Jackets.  Western Washington is 9-5-1 in the region and finishes with games against Seattle, Saint Martin’s, and Seattle Pacific.

NCAA Far West Region (regional record through 10/21/07)
1. Seattle University (13-2-0)
2. Sonoma State (14-2-1)
3. Cal State Dominguez Hills (13-2-0)
4. Montana State Billings (9-2-1)
5. Grand Canyon (9-4-3)
6. Western Washington (9-5-1)