University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Climbs Back Into NSCAA Regional Rankings After 2-0 Week (Sept. 27, 2011)
9/27/2011 3:56:00 PM | Men's Soccer
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- There are two undefeated teams in the NSCAA/South Atlantic Regional Rankings this week. One of those teams is the University of Maryland, ranked No. 1 in the region.
The other is the University of Delaware men's soccer team, which climbed back into the polls after going 2-0 last week. The Hens are one of just eight NCAA Division I teams without a loss so far this season.
In a pair of games last week, Delaware cruised past Saint Peter's College 4-1 on Wednesday and followed up with a 1-0 nail biting win Saturday night against Georgia State.
Now boasting a 6-0-1 record, including a 1-0-0 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association, Delaware returns to the South Atlantic Regional Rankings after a two-week stay in the Receiving Votes column. The Hens climbed as high as No. 8 in the region in the Aug. 30 polls.
Delaware, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Ian Hennessy, is one of five CAA teams in the top 10 in the regional, while another two are receiving votes. Joining the Hens were William & Mary (3), George Mason (4), Old Dominion (5) and Northeastern (t8). Georgia State and James Madison received votes.
"I have always wanted this program to be part of the national conversation in our sport. Having played on and coached teams that were regularly part of the top 20, I know that players cannot wait for the next practice because the spirits of the group are high,” said Hennessy, who has the Hens off to their best start since 1985. “We have to temper this feeling though because the conference is so competitive and you can be back to square one by the end of the week. It's amazing really, and in the next 10 days we have three very challenging games against three of the better teams in the conference, and in the country who have only lost 3 games between them.”
Delaware's next challenge will be Old Dominion University, ranked No. 5 in this week's regional poll. The Hens travel to Norfolk, Va. to face the Monarchs Friday night at 7 p.m. Action is slated to be played at the Old Dominion Soccer Complex.
The Hens, who are off to the program's best start under Hennessy and since the 1985 season when the team opened 8-0-1 under UD Athletics Hall of Fame coach Loren Kline, are currently riding a 10-game undefeated streak in the regular season, dating back to Oct. 27 with a 1-0 win over Towson.
But the Hens have several other streaks going, including an eight game winning streak at Delaware Mini-Stadium in both conference and nonconference games.
With the 1-0 win over Georgia State, who received votes in this week's poll, Delaware continued to dominate CAA opponents at home, winning its seventh-straight home conference game, reaching back to the 2009 season finale against the Panthers, which Delaware won 4-1. The seven-straight CAA wins at home bests a six-game home East Coast Conference win streak Delaware enjoyed during the 1985-86 seasons.
The lone goal against Georgia State, scored by two-time CAA Rookie of the Week Roberto Giménez in the 89th minute, was Delaware's 18th of the year, tying the total from the 2010 season. With the Giménez goal, Delaware has scored in seven straight games, as well as 11 regular season games in a row, dating back to Oct. 20, 2010 in a 0-0 draw with George Mason. Delaware was held scoreless in its double overtime CAA Semifinal game against William & Mary on Nov. 12, 2010.
