KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Fort Lewis College women’s soccer team (5-0-1 overall, 2-0-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) dropped 15 spots to No. 18  in the fourth NCAA Division II poll of the season, released earlier today by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Continental Tire.

The Skyhawks, ranked No. 3 in the nation last week, went 2-0-1 last week, but a tie to Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 2-2 on Monday, Sept. 12 was enough to cause FLC’s national stock to plummet. Fort Lewis rebounded with a 5-0 win over Colorado State-Pueblo last Friday and a 4-2 triumph over Nebraska-Kearney two days ago.

Fifth-year FLC head coach Damian Clarke said the rankings are a testament to the level of competition in the RMAC. Two of FLC’s undefeated and untied league foes — No. 6 Metro State (6-0-0, 2-0-0) and No. 10 Colorado Mines (6-0-0, 2-0-0) leapfrogged the Skyhawks.

“I think there are five teams in the conference that are good enough to beat anybody in the country,” he said earlier this season of the RMAC. “The level of competition from top to bottom is just tremendous.”

Fort Lewis returns to action against Colorado Mesa (3-3-0, 2-0-0) at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Dirks Field. Fort Lewis then travels to UC-Colorado Springs (3-1-0, 0-1-0) at 7 p.m. Friday and to Adams State (3-3-0, 0-2-0_ at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The complete poll includes:

1. Florida Tech
2. California (Pa.)
3. Quincy (Ill.)
4. UC-San Diego
5. Bridgeport (Conn.)
6. Metro State (Colo.)
7. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
8. Abilene Christian (Texas)
9. Saint Rose (N.Y.)
10. Colorado Mines
11. Rollins (Fla.)
12. West Chester (Pa.)
13. Cal. State-Stanislaus
14. Grand Valley State (Mich.)
15. Central Missouri
16. North Georgia
17. Merrimack (Mass.)
18. Fort Lewis (Colo.)
19. St. Edward’s (Texas)
20. Saint Leo (Fla.)
21. Seattle Pacific (Wash.)
22. Bellarmine (Ky.)
23. North Carolina-Pembroke
24. Edinboro (Pa.)
25. Southern Connecticut State

Also receiving votes: Indiana (Pa.), Nova Southeastern (Fla.), Cal Poly Pomona, Minnesota State, Northern Kentucky, Columbus State (Ga.), Midwestern State (Texas).

Additionally, the NCAA Division II regional rankings were announced today. The Skyhawks are ranked third in the Central Region:

1. Metro State (Colo.)
2. Colorado Mines
3. Fort Lewis (Colo.)
4. Minnesota State
5. Mary (N.D.)
6. UC-Colorado Springs

Winona State (Minn.)

8.   Colorado State-Pueblo

    Regis (Colo.)

10. Minnesota State-Moorhead

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