By Dannielle Lowe
Despite being weighed down by injuries and losing two players to the FIFA World Cup in Beijing, the women's soccer team has managed to climb in the national rankings.
On Sept. 25, after four consecutive shutouts, the Pilots jumped in the ratings. They're now a little closer to the coveted No. 1 position.
Three national polls, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Soccer America Magazine and Soccer Times, pushed the Pilots slightly up in the polls into the No. 2 position. Soccer Buzz Magazine left Portland as No. 3, while Top Drawer placed the Pilots as No. 1 for the second week in a row.
The shift reflects the depth of the roster. Players who were not expected to play have stepped in to comfortably fill the holes.
"A couple of them have been freshmen," said redshirt sophomore goal keeper Kelsey Davis. "They have done a great job. They filled roles and are working hard."
Even though the Pilots are playing without a number of instrumental players, the team has managed to stay the course and remain competitive. The four back-to-back shutouts show the team's ability to overcome obstacles.
The Pilots suffered blow after blow in September. The team started down two players because of the FIFA World Cup. Senior All-American defender Stephanie Lopez played in the Cup representing the United States, and midfielder Sophie Schmidt, a redshirt freshman, played for the Canadian team.
"We're definitely excited to get Stephanie back," Davis said. "But my team has handled it in the best way we know how. We've done a good job."
The World Cup wasn't the only thing taking players from the Pilots. One of the team's leading scorers, Megan Rapinoe, started the season on the injured list due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) from last season. But that would not be the only injury for the Pilots.
First, the team lost sophomore Megan Sweeny to a knee injury. Shortly after, Rachael Rapinoe, one of the team's leading scorers, suffered a torn ACL.
A week later, Rachael's sister, Megan Rapinoe, re-injured her left ACL for the second time in less than 12 months after appearing in only two matches this season. She will also be out for the season.
Despite the injuries and missing players, the Pilots are still fighting. Players are stepping up and filling in where others have fallen. The team is pulling together to get things done.
"It's hard to lose people to injury and the World Cup and stuff," Davis said. "The people who have stepped in have done great."
Last weekend, the Pilots faced the most challenging road trip of the season so far, facing No. 8 UCLA and No. 14 USC. The team lost both games - first losing a close one in overtime to UCLA and then falling to USC in a well-fought match. The No. 2 Pilots' record moved to seven wins, three losses and no ties for the year.
Tomorrow the Pilots meet up with the University of Oregon in Eugene at 7 p.m.
