Orange Empire Conference serves notice with five teams in initial CCCSIA Women's Soccer Poll

SAN BERNARDINO - The calendar may have turned onto a new season in 3C2A women’s soccer action, but not much has changed, according to the first poll from the California Community College Sports Information Association.

The Orange Empire Conference had five teams ranked in the top 20, and Saddleback – which has held significant property in the top 20 over the past two years – was at the top of the mountain.

The Bobcats received 13 of the 17 first-place votes for 332 points in the first poll of the season, topping the list of seven unbeaten and untied teams after three full weeks of action.

Trailing behind Saddleback for now is their OEC rivals, Cypress. The Chargers landed at No. 2 with 251 points. The rest of the OEC in the top 20 includes Orange Coast (No. 15, 99 points), Golden West (No. 17, 86 points), and Santiago Canyon (No. 20, 63 points). And just out of the top 20 – and also unbeaten – is Irvine Valley with 39 points.

Modesto took the third spot in the poll, receiving 225 points, while City College of San Francisco and Long Beach City were tied in the No. 4 spot with 217 points. Chaffey – another perennial top vote getter – came in at No. 6 with 208 points.

With 192 points, College of the Canyons finished at No. 7. Folsom Lake received two first-place votes and ranked No. 8. Hartnell earned 163 points for ninth, and Southwestern rounded out the top 10 with 157 points. Sacramento City received the other two first-place votes and finished at No. 11 with 148 points.

(Bill Norris, CCCSIA)