The Lewis-Clark State College women’s volleyball team broke new ground this season when the Warriors were ranked a season-high ninth in this week’s Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, which was released on Tuesday.
It’s the first time LCSC, 17-1 overall, has been ranked above No. 10 this season and is the program’s first time in the top nine since the Warriors came it at No. 9 on Oct. 14, 2008. That ties LCSC’s highest ranking during this decade.
The Warriors have won nine straight matches, including seven in Frontier Conference play, to help it rise from its preseason ranking to its current position. The Warriors climbed one spot in this week’s poll after No. 8 Azusa Pacific lost and fell to No. 13. Taylor University of Indiana named one spot ahead of LCSC with 502 points, while the Warriors have 471. Concordia University is at No. 10 and is one of four California teams in the Top 10. Fresno Pacific, with an 18-0 record, drew all 23 first-place votes to hold down the top spot in the poll for the 41st straight week.
LCSC’s only setback this season was a five-set loss to No. 18 Oklahoma Baptist.
The Warriors face a big week as they try to increase their two-game lead in FC play with key home contests against two ranked FC foes. No. 25 Carroll, 14-5, visits LCSC on Thursday for a 7 p.m. match, while No. 21 Rocky Mountain, 15-5, comes to Lewiston for a 2 p.m. match on Saturday. Both contests will be played at the LCSC Activity Center. Thursday night’s contest has been designated as Pack The House night and Warrior players will autograph team posters following the match. Saturday’s contest features $1 admission, $1 hot dogs, and $1 soda.
LCSC will have five of its seven conference matches at home during the second half of league play and also has six of its final eight regular-season matches at home. LCSC also will play host to the conference tournament on Nov. 12-13.
LCSC was a regular in the NAIA Top 10 during the mid-to-late 1990s. During the 1995 season, the Warriors reached a program-best No. 2 ranking, and LCSC also was ranked No. 3 during the first week of October during the 1997 season.
LCSC also was ranked No. 4 in the final 1998 poll when the Warriors tied for third at the national tournament. They also started that season as the No. 4-ranked team.
2010 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Coaches' Top 25 Poll - Week 6
|
RANK
|
LAST WEEK
|
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)
|
2010 RECORD
|
TOTAL POINTS
|
|
1
|
1
|
Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) (23)
|
18-0
|
653
|
|
2
|
2
|
Lee University (Tenn.)
|
19-0
|
632
|
|
3
|
3
|
Biola University (Calif.)
|
17-4
|
601
|
|
4
|
4
|
Northwestern College (Iowa)
|
25-0
|
586
|
|
5
|
5
|
University of Texas at Brownsville
|
19-0
|
578
|
|
6
|
6
|
California Baptist University
|
21-2
|
544
|
|
7
|
7
|
Columbia College (Mo.)
|
21-2
|
536
|
|
8
|
9
|
Taylor University (Ind.)
|
22-2
|
502
|
|
9
|
10
|
Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho)
|
17-1
|
471
|
|
10
|
16
|
Concordia University (Calif.)
|
14-4
|
459
|
|
11
|
11
|
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.)
|
19-1
|
456
|
|
12
|
13
|
Indiana Institute of Technology
|
23-4
|
413
|
|
13
|
8
|
Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)
|
18-4
|
411
|
|
14
|
17
|
College of Idaho
|
13-4
|
363
|
|
15
|
14
|
Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.)
|
12--7
|
356
|
|
16
|
15
|
Doane College (Neb.)
|
17-4
|
355
|
|
17
|
12
|
Southern Oregon University
|
13-3
|
317
|
|
18
|
18
|
Oklahoma Baptist University
|
18-7
|
299
|
|
19
|
20
|
Lubbock Christian University (Texas)
|
18-5
|
257
|
|
20
|
19
|
Dordt College (Iowa)
|
23-5
|
253
|
|
21
|
22
|
Rocky Mountain College (Mont.)
|
15-5
|
243
|
|
22
|
RV
|
Evangel University (Mo.)
|
19-5
|
172
|
|
23
|
25
|
Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.)
|
15-8
|
137
|
|
24
|
21
|
Lindenwood University (Mo.)
|
16-11
|
123
|
|
25
|
24
|
Carroll College (Mont.)
|
14-5
|
120
|
Others receiving votes: Madonna (Mich.) 108; Georgetown (Ky.) 106; College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 101; Indiana East 92; Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 52; Bellevue (Neb.) 47; Westminster (Utah) 20; Campbellsville (Ky.) 12; Indiana Wesleyan 10; Union (Tenn.) 5; Shorter (Ga.) 5; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 3; Walsh (Ohio) 1; Grand View (Iowa) 1; Oklahoma City 1; Baker (Kan.) 1
