Panthers, Bulldogs Stay Among NSCAA Regional Elite

Sept. 28, 2005

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Two Horizon League men's soccer teams preserved their status among the top programs in the region, according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), which released the results of its latest weekly survey Tuesday (Sept. 27).

For the fourth consecutive week, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Butler University are among the top ten teams in the Great Lakes Region, according to the association. Both schools climbed one spot this week, with the Panthers up to seventh and BU's Bulldogs improving to ninth.

UW-Milwaukee begins the week at 3-1-3 overall after posting a pair of ties on its latest western swing. The Panthers battled Oregon State to a 1-1 deadlock on Friday (Sept. 23) and added an identical score versus host Gonzaga on Sunday (Sept. 25) at the Nike Soccer Classic. Butler improved to 6-2-0 overall by defeating Xavier 3-0 on Friday in its only action of the week.

Akron took the top spot in the region as the Zips remain one of two undefeated, untied teams left in Division I. The Zips (8-0-0) climbed over current No. 2 Indiana (4-0-3) with Cincinnati (5-2-1) next, followed by Notre Dame (5-3-0) and Michigan (6-2-0). Ohio State is sixth at 5-2-1, with No. 8 Kentucky (3-2-3) and tenth-ranked Michigan State (2-1-4) rounding out the region's honor roll.

The team with the nation's only other perfect record---New Mexico---now heads both major polls as the Lobos (8-0-0) added the NSCAA nod to its top position in the Soccer America rankings. The two canvasses have identical top fives with North Carolina (6-0-1) second, ahead of California (7-0-1), Akron and Indiana.

Butler has allowed only four goals in its first eight matches this season, with junior goalkeeper Frank Peabody posting four shutouts. His 0.33 goals-against-average is the sixth-best mark in the nation. For UW-Milwaukee, junior midfielder Craig Mallace is tied for ninth in the nation at 0.71 assists per match, with his five helpers part of a team-best nine points.

Both teams open Horizon League play this week, with UW-Milwaukee at Cleveland State on Thursday night (Sept. 29) and hosting Detroit on Sunday (Oct. 2). CSU also provides the competition in Butler's initial League contest, scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.

In the Midwest Region, the University of Illinois at Chicago slipped out of the top ten after suffering a pair of one-goal losses during the week. The Flames (3-2-1) had been part of the top ten for the first three weeks of the season.

The NSCAA/adidas national rankings are released each Tuesday afternoon and can be found at www.nscaa.com through the "rankings" tab at the top of the page. Soccer America publishes its weekly survey on Mondays at www.socceramerica.com. Links are provided on the "headlines" section on the right side of the page.

NSCAA / adidas Men's Regional Rankings
September 27, 2005
Great Lakes Region
TeamRecordLW
1.Akron8-0-02
2.Indiana4-0-31
3.Cincinnati5-2-19
4.Notre Dame5-3-04
5.Michigan6-2-05
6.Ohio State5-2-13
7.UW-Milwaukee3-1-38
8.Kentucky3-2-37
9.Butler6-2-010
10.Michigan State2-1-4NR
Dropped out: Wisconsin (previously No. 6)

Midwest Region
TeamRecordLW
1.Missouri State6-0-22
2.Tulsa3-2-35
3.Creighton4-1-21
4.Bradley6-2-03
5.Northern Illinois5-2-1NR
6.Western Kentucky5-2-110
7.Vanderbilt4-3-0NR
8.Memphis4-3-06
9.Southern Methodist2-4-29
10.Oral Roberts3-2-16

Dropped out: UIC (previously No. 4), Saint Louis (No. 8).