Upset victories boost Longhorns to No. 13 in Soccer America poll
AUSTIN, Texas -- After recording upset wins over two top 15-ranked programs, The University of Texas soccer team is now ranked No. 13 in the latest Soccer America poll, released Monday. The UT squad (2-1), led by eighth-year head coach Chris Petrucelli, enters the Soccer America magazine poll for the first time this season after a win over then-No. 3 Penn State on Friday (Sept. 1) by a score of 2-1 and a 1-0, double-overtime victory against then-No. 13 Illinois on Sunday (Sept. 3). Both matches were played at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. In the victory over the Nittany Lions, senior Amy Burlingham (Costa Mesa, Calif.) found the back of the net in the first period and junior Kelsey Carpenter (Allen, Texas) scored the game-winning-goal to put the Nittany Lions away. Carpenter came through for UT just 42 hours later, scoring against the Fighting Illini in the 104th minute of the match during the sudden-death second overtime period. Florida State is ranked No. 1 in the Soccer America poll, which is published every Monday. FSU is followed by No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Santa Clara, No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 5 UCLA. UT’s fellow Big 12 Conference foe Nebraska holds the No. 20 position, while No. 8 Penn State dropped three spots from their fifth-rated position last week. The last time the Longhorns were nationally-ranked was during last season when UT stood No. 24 in the Soccer America rankings on September 12, 2005. Texas takes the road for a three-match stretch, playing at New Mexico on Thursday, Sept. 7 (8 p.m. Central), followed by a contest at Rice on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m., and a game against LSU in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, Sept. 13 (7 p.m.). (The Soccer America Top 25 Poll is released each Monday during the regular season.)
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