LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's soccer team, which has reached the NCAA Division II West Region championship game in three of the past five years, has moved into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's Top-10.

 

The Golden Eagles, after a home win over UC San Diego and a road tie at Cal State Dominguez Hills last week, have jumped to the No. 10 spot in the nation in the poll released on Tuesday. Cal State L.A. (3-0-1, 1-0-1) opened the season with non-conference shutout wins over Saint Martin's and Colorado Mesa.

 

This marks the fifth consecutive season that Cal State L.A. has earned a national Top-10 ranking. The Golden Eagles earned national No. 1 rankings in 2009 and 2010 and were ranked as high as fourth in 2008 and sixth in 2007.

 

Cal State L.A. has reached the West Region championship game in 2006, 2008 and 2009. The Golden Eagles were the No. 1-seeded team in 2009 and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA playoffs.

 

The Golden Eagles, who were unranked in two previous polls this season, have outscored their opponents, 11-1, so far this season, but the going definitely got tougher once California Collegiate Athletic Association play started. The Golden Eagles held on for a 1-0 win against UC San Diego on Friday and then battled No. 23 Cal State Dominguez Hills to a 1-1 tie in Carson on Sunday.

 

Things will be tough again this week as the Golden Eagles will host CCAA North Division powers Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State at Jesse Owens Stadium.

 

Cal State L.A. is one of only three teams from the West Region to be ranked in the top-25. Notre Dame de Namur of the Pacific West Conference is ranked 19^th in the country, while Cal State Dominguez Hills moved up from No. 24 to No. 23 after a win over Cal State San Bernardino and a tie against Cal State L.A. last week.

 

Rosario Bras leads the Golden Eagles with three goals and six points. After missing the season opener against Saint Martin's, Bras has scored goals in his next three appearances. Timo Schwar and Antti Arvola have scored two goals each. Schwar, Jason Swope and Marvin Sandoval have two assists each.

 

Bras had the game-winning goal against UC San Diego when he headed in a free kick from Sandoval and he had the lone goal against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sunday when he scored with assists from Swope and Derek Faulkner.

 

Taylor Rivas, Julian Ringhof, Marc Hess, Dane Nielsen and goalkeeper Jose Martinez have led a defense that has allowed only one goal in four games. Martinez has 15 saves and has a saves percentage of .938.

 

Cal State L.A. will return to action on Friday with a home game against Cal State Stanislaus beginning at 4:30 p.m.