Sports@DominionPost.com
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia women’s soccer team moved up three spots to No. 4 in this week’s United Soccer Coaches National Poll, the organization revealed on Tuesday.
Following a 3-2 win over then-No. 5 Duke on March 27, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, the Mountaineers match their season-best ranking in the poll. It also marked the first time WVU has been included in the United Soccer Coaches’ top five this spring. West Virginia was slotted at No. 4 on five occasions during the fall campaign.
WVU is one of three Big 12 Conference schools featured in the poll this week, joining No. 3 TCU and No. 15 Oklahoma State.
Florida State remained at No. 1 ahead of No. 2 North Carolina. After WVU, No. 5 UCLA also entered the top five this week. Penn State was placed No. 6, ahead of No. 7 Duke, No. 8 Clemson, No. 9 Santa Clara and No. 10 Virginia to complete the top 10.
Additionally, West Virginia jumped three spots to No. 6 in the latest TopDrawerSoccer.com Women’s Top 25, which was released on Monday. It marked the squad’s highest ranking in the poll this season. Of note, TDS also selected junior forward Alina Stahl to its Women’s Team of the Week on Tuesday. Stahl, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in WVU’s win over the Blue Devils last week.
Next up, the Mountaineers take on their second consecutive top-10 opponent when they play host to No. 10/3 Virginia on Saturday at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Mountaineers finish 7th at The Hootie
AWENDAW, S.C. – West Virginia University senior Mark Goetz posted a final round 4-under-par 68 and sophomore Trent Tipton finished at 2-under-par for the tournament to lead the Mountaineer golf team to a seventh-place finish at The Hootie at Bulls Bay in Awendaw, S.C.
The Mountaineers shot 1-under-par on Tuesday and finished the 16-team event tied with No. 82 College of Charleston for seventh place with rounds of 291-288-287=866. WVU shot 1-under-par as a team over the final 36 holes and finished at 2-over-par for the event. WVU was one shot behind Wisconsin for sixth place and finished ahead of No. 34 South Carolina, No. 77 Iowa State, No. 54 Purdue, No. 53 Kentucky, No. 91 Marquette, No. 32 Kansas, Wichita State and No. 99 Louisiana Tech.
The 54-hole tournament was played at the par-72 Bulls Bay Golf Club.
“This was a real big week for us,” coach Sean Covich said. “The guys battled hard and posted an under par final round. It was good to see us improve each round.”
Goetz finished the event tied for 10th place at 3-under-par with rounds of 72-73-68=213. On the final day after a bogey on the first hole, Goetz recorded five birdies in the final 17 holes to post WVU’s low round of the tournament.
Tipton posted his best tournament as a Mountaineer, shooting 1-under-par Tuesday and finished tied for 12th at 2-under-par with rounds of 71-72-71=214.
“Mark showed what he’s capable of doing with a top 10 individual finish,” Covich said. “He played his last 17 holes bogey free at 5-under-par, very impressive.”
West Virginia will return to action on Monday, April 12 with the annual Mountaineer Invitational at Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport. The event has previously been played in October each year but was moved to April this year due to COVID-19.
