Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Men's Soccer's Road Shutout Leads To No. 9 Ranking In United Soccer Coaches Poll
9/25/2018 11:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Creighton holds a four-match winning streak, including three consecutive shutouts
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Creighton men's soccer team moved into the top 10 nationally and is listed at No. 9 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll, the organization released on Tuesday.
The Bluejays improved to 5-1-1 overall and 2-0-0 in BIG EAST play with a 1-0 shutout at Villanova on Saturday as the squad moved up three spots from last week's rankings. Creighton claims four consecutive victories, including three straight shutouts.Â
Creighton is off to its best start since 2015 when the team started the year 15-0-0 and ended its season in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.Â
The Bluejays have allowed only two goals this season through the first seven matches, as freshman goalkeeper Paul Kruse has played each minute for Creighton and ranks fifth nationally with a 0.277 goals against average. The team also ranks sixth in Division I with a .714 shutout percentage (5-of-7). Kruse owns five clean sheets this season which ranks fourth in the country behind three players who each have six.Â
Offensively, seniors Sven Koenig and Akeem Ward each pace the Bluejays with six points. Koenig owns the team-lead with three goals, while Ward claims four assists and one goal.
Creighton is one of two BIG EAST schools listed in the top 25 as Xavier moved into the poll at No. 22. Georgetown also received four votes.Â
The top seven in this week's poll remained unchanged, as Wake Forest earned 27 of 28 possible first place votes. Indiana, North Carolina, Denver, Michigan State, Louisville and Kentucky are ranked two through seven, respectively. Air Force claimed the No. 8 position, one spot ahead of the Bluejays.Â
This week's ranking is Creighton's best since Oct. 11, 2016 when the Bluejays were listed at No. 6.Â
Creighton also checked in at No. 15 in the initial NCAA RPI which was released on Monday afternoon.Â
Creighton continues its 2018 campaign with three consecutive home matches, starting with a nonconference match tonight (Tuesday) against Jacksonville. Kickoff between the Bluejays and Dolphins is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Morrison Stadium.Â
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Also receiving votes: Stanford University (36), University Of Washington (28), Old Dominion University (24), University of California Santa Barbara (23), Wright State University (19), UIC (12), Missouri State University (10), UCLA (9), Manhattan College (9), High Point University (9), University of the Pacific (8), University Of Rhode Island (8), University Of Vermont (6), California State University, Northridge (5), Georgetown University (4), Drexel University (3), University of Central Florida (3), Seattle University (3), Charlotte (2), Virginia Commonwealth University (1)
The Bluejays improved to 5-1-1 overall and 2-0-0 in BIG EAST play with a 1-0 shutout at Villanova on Saturday as the squad moved up three spots from last week's rankings. Creighton claims four consecutive victories, including three straight shutouts.Â
Creighton is off to its best start since 2015 when the team started the year 15-0-0 and ended its season in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.Â
The Bluejays have allowed only two goals this season through the first seven matches, as freshman goalkeeper Paul Kruse has played each minute for Creighton and ranks fifth nationally with a 0.277 goals against average. The team also ranks sixth in Division I with a .714 shutout percentage (5-of-7). Kruse owns five clean sheets this season which ranks fourth in the country behind three players who each have six.Â
Offensively, seniors Sven Koenig and Akeem Ward each pace the Bluejays with six points. Koenig owns the team-lead with three goals, while Ward claims four assists and one goal.
Creighton is one of two BIG EAST schools listed in the top 25 as Xavier moved into the poll at No. 22. Georgetown also received four votes.Â
The top seven in this week's poll remained unchanged, as Wake Forest earned 27 of 28 possible first place votes. Indiana, North Carolina, Denver, Michigan State, Louisville and Kentucky are ranked two through seven, respectively. Air Force claimed the No. 8 position, one spot ahead of the Bluejays.Â
This week's ranking is Creighton's best since Oct. 11, 2016 when the Bluejays were listed at No. 6.Â
Creighton also checked in at No. 15 in the initial NCAA RPI which was released on Monday afternoon.Â
Creighton continues its 2018 campaign with three consecutive home matches, starting with a nonconference match tonight (Tuesday) against Jacksonville. Kickoff between the Bluejays and Dolphins is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Morrison Stadium.Â
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United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Men - National - Poll 5 - September 25, 2018
Also receiving votes: Stanford University (36), University Of Washington (28), Old Dominion University (24), University of California Santa Barbara (23), Wright State University (19), UIC (12), Missouri State University (10), UCLA (9), Manhattan College (9), High Point University (9), University of the Pacific (8), University Of Rhode Island (8), University Of Vermont (6), California State University, Northridge (5), Georgetown University (4), Drexel University (3), University of Central Florida (3), Seattle University (3), Charlotte (2), Virginia Commonwealth University (1)
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