BATON ROUGE — After receiving a No. 20 national ranking in the Soccer America Top 25 released on Monday, the LSU soccer team has earned a No. 17 ranking in this week’s Soccer Times Top 25 and a No. 23 ranking in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top 25 released Tuesday.
The Tigers (6-2-2, 2-0-0 SEC) picked up their first ever sweep in the opening weekend of SEC play with a decisive 6-0 victory over then No. 8-ranked Georgia on Friday night and an impressive 5-1 win against Tennessee on Sunday afternoon at the LSU Soccer Complex.
LSU has matched its highest ranking all-time in the Soccer Times Top 25 as it has also been rated No. 17 on two other occasions during the 2008 season.
It also marks the Tigers’ highest ranking in team history in the NSCAA Top 25 poll as their previous best is a No. 24 national ranking received on Sept. 23, 2008.
After the first weekend of SEC play, the Tigers are tied atop the league standings with South Carolina and Florida as each club earned six points with a pair of victories on the weekend. Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee follow closely behind with three points in conference play. Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt have yet to pick up a point in league play.
The Tigers will return to the pitch this weekend as they go on the road to take on Alabama on Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Auburn on Sunday at 2 p.m. Sunday’s match is scheduled for a live national broadcast on the ESPNU network as part of the SEC on ESPN.
SOCCER TIMES TOP 25
Team (Record) Last Week
1. Stanford (10-0-0) 1
2. North Carolina (9-0-1) 2
3. UCLA (8-1-1) 3
4. Portland (9-1-0) 4
5. Florida State (9-1-0) 5
6. Boston College (9-1-0) 6
7. South Carolina (10-0-0) 13
8. Florida (8-3-0) 11
9. Wake Forest (8-2-0) 9
10. Notre Dame (7-3-0) 14
11. Virginia (6-2-2) 8
12. Rutgers (8-1-2) 16
13. Santa Clara (8-3-0) 12
14. California (6-2-0) 7
15. Texas A&M (6-4-0) 10
16. Michigan State (7-0-2) 24
17. LSU (6-2-2) NR
18. Ohio State (8-1-1) NR
19. Kansas (8-2-1) 17
20. BYU (8-2-1) 25
21. Purdue (6-2-2) 18
22. Georgia (8-1-1) 15
23. St. John’s (8-1-1) NR
24. Illinois (5-3-2) 21
T25. Central Florida (6-3-1) 20
T25. Washington State (7-2-0) NR
NSCAA/adidas TOP 25
Team (Record) Last Week
1. North Carolina (9-0-1) 1
2. Stanford (10-0-0) 2
3. UCLA (8-1-1) 3
4. Portland (9-1-0) 4
5. Florida State (9-1-0) 5
6. Boston College (9-1-0) 6
7. Florida (8-3-0) 10
8. South Carolina (10-0-0) 12
9. Wake Forest (8-2-0) 7
10. Notre Dame (7-3-0) 14
11. Santa Clara (8-3-0) 9
12. Purdue (6-2-2) 15
13. Rutgers (8-1-2) 17
14. California (6-2-0) 8
15. Ohio State (8-1-1) 21
16. Texas A&M (6-4-0) 13
17. St. John’s (8-1-1) 23
18. Virginia (6-2-2) 11
19. Arizona State (7-1-2) NR
20. Michigan State (7-0-2) NR
21. Central Florida (6-3-1) 22
22. Georgia (8-1-1) 16
23. LSU (6-2-2) NR
24. Maryland (8-2-0) 18
25. San Diego (6-3-1) 24