LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's men's soccer team, the defending NCAA Division II champions, slipped a spot in the ninth national weekly poll released on Tuesday by the United Soccer Coaches.

On the eve of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, Cal State LA (13-1-3) slipped from No. 7 to No. 8 following last week's 1-0 win at Cal Poly Pomona in the regular-season finale. The Golden Eagles moved up to second place in the CCAA, one point behind regular-season champion Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The No. 2 Golden Eagles earned a first-round bye into the CCAA Tournament and will face No. 6 Sonoma State in a semifinal match on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Cal State San Bernardino. The tournament championship match is Sunday at 1 p.m.

Cal State LA has been ranked nationally in every poll this season. The Golden Eagles spent the first three weeks of the regular-season atop the national poll after winning the program's first national championship last year. Cal State LA has now been ranked in the top-10 in eight of the first nine regular-season polls in 2022

Franklin Pierce remains the No. 1 team in the country, while Mercyhurst, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Saginaw Valley State and St. Mary's round out the top-five.

Cal State LA has outscored its opponents, 43-10, in its 17 games this season. The plus-33 goal differential is seventh in the country. Also of note, the Golden Eagles are second in fewest fouls per game (7.53) and have the fewest yellow cards among the 199 programs ranked in that category in Division II with 15.

Bryan Ortega leads the team with six goals scored, while Oliver Diaz and Aiden Wait have five goals each and Alex Rodriguez has four goals. Lucas Rosales, Daniel Garcia, Jeppe Paulsen, Tommaso Belli and Carl Solli have three goals each. Daniel Garcia, Bryan Ortega, Oliver Diaz and Manuel Garcia lead with four assists each.

Alvaro Unanua has made 56 saves and has a saves percentage of .848. He has seven solo shutouts and three combined shutouts with Julian Aadlandsvik in the first 16 games.

Cal State LA is making an appearance in the national poll for the 17th consecutive season. That streak started in 2005.
 
The Golden Eagles have reached the top-18 in the national poll in 16 straight seasons, beginning in 2006, and have been in the top-10 in 13 of the past 15 seasons, a streak that began in 2007.

Cal State LA is making its 11th straight appearance in the CCAA Tournament and is the defending tournament champion. The Golden Eagles have won three of the past four tournament titles and five overall.