By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's soccer team has moved into the West Region Rankings for NCAA Division III as compiled by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The Bearcats are ranked #10 in the West Region this week after picking up two Northwest Conference victories over the weekend.

Willamette is 5-4-1 overall and 4-1-1 in the NWC. The Bearcats currently hold second place in the NWC standings with 13 points, just two points behind the University of Puget Sound (5-1-0, 15 points). Willamette is two points in front of Linfield College (3-1-2, 11 points) and Whitworth University (3-2-2, 11 points). Linfield and Whitworth tied 0-0 in two overtimes on Sunday (Oct. 2).

WU defeated Pacific University, 2-1, on Saturday (Oct. 1) and rolled past George Fox University, 4-0, on Sunday. The Bearcats are 5-1-1 since starting the season 0-3 with three one-goal losses.

Trinity University (Texas) sits atop the West Region Rankings this week. Trinity is 11-0-0 on the season. Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) is #2 in the rankings with an 8-1-0 record. California Lutheran University follows at #3 with a 9-1-0 record.

Puget Sound is ranked #4 in the Region with a 7-2-0 overall record. The Loggers defeated Pacific Lutheran University, 3-0, and downed George Fox, 1-0, over the weekend. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps holds the #5 spot with a 4-3-2 record, while Pomona-Pitzer is #6 at 6-3-0.

The #7 team is at the University of Texas-Dallas, which owns a 7-3-0 record. The University of Redlands (Calif.) is #8 at 5-3-1, the University of California-Santa Cruz is #9 at 6-3-1 and Willamette's rounds out the Top 10 at 5-4-1.

Willamette's leading scorer is the team's only senior, Stephanie Skelly (MF, Poulsbo, WA/North Kitsap HS). Skelly has scored six goals and one assist for 13 total points. She tallied two goals in Willamette's victory over George Fox. Freshman forward Sarah Desautels (Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS) is second on the team in goal scoring and total points, with three goals and one assist (7 points).

Freshman goalkeeper Gina Barbieri (Medford, OR/St. Mary's School) has started the last five games for Willamette and has achieved a 4-0-1 record. She has provided 19 saves and has earned a 0.57 goals against average with only three goals allowed in 470 minutes.

Up next for the Bearcats is a Northwest Conference road swing to Whitman College and Whitworth University this weekend. WU will play Whitman on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 12 p.m. (PDT) in Walla Walla, Wash. The Bearcats will battle Whitworth on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 12 p.m. in Spokane, Wash.