Cypress continues to hold off all comers as it continues stranglehold on No. 1 spot in CCCSIA Women's Soccer Poll

SAN BERNARDINO - Having the phrase “Number One” in front of your team name in sports is an invitation for other teams to come try and make a name for themselves against the top-ranked team.

But it’s often how that No. 1 team responds that will end up proving if that ranking is earned or was just a team riding on its reputation.

Case in point, the Cypress College women’s soccer team. The Chargers – the defending state runner-up – have been No. 1 in the biweekly poll of sports information professionals from the California Community College Sports Information Association. They remained there when the newest rankings were released Tuesday morning. And by Tuesday afternoon, the Chargers were trailing Golden West after a goal in the 54^th minute.

The Chargers responded the way a top team does. They rallied for two goals in the final 20 minutes to knock off the Rustlers and remain one of the four unbeaten teams in the state as teams start to make the turn for home on the 2024 season.

Cypress received seven of the nine first-place votes, giving it an 18-point advantage over fellow-unbeaten No. 2 Folsom Lake in the latest poll. Pasadena City – which received a first-place vote – remained No. 3, as the top three remained steady.

The rest of the poll saw some major moves across the board. San Francisco jumped eight spots to No. 4, edging ahead of unbeaten Southwestern (one first-place vote) to round out the top five. The other unbeaten – Citrus – moved from outside of the top 20 to No. 11, while right behind was Santa Barbara, which jumped six spots to No. 12. Ventura moved up seven spots into a tie for No. 13 with Saddleback, and sliding down 13 spots was Santa Rosa to No. 20.

(Bill Norris, CCCSIA)