Marquee matchups highlight Pac-12 women's soccer this week

SAN FRANCISCO - Pac-12 women’s soccer has an exciting weekend ahead, highlighted by a rematch of the first-ever all-Pac-12 NCAA Women’s College Cup final between reigning NCAA Champions and No. 1 ranked STANFORD and No. 16 UCLA on Thursday on Pac-12 Networks.
• No. 1 Stanford also hosts No. 2 USC in a marquee battle between the top-two teams in the nation and the last two NCAA Champions on Sunday on Pac-12 Networks. The defending NCAA Champion Cardinal vs. the 2016 NCAA Champion Trojans will be a battle between two of the best scoring offenses in the country, with USC ranked sixth nationally with 2.89 goals per game and Stanford ranked eighth with 2.78 goals per game. This will be the second time this season that No. 1 Stanford faces the No. 2 team in the nation. The Cardinal defeated then-No. 2 North Carolina on Sept. 9.
• Five Pac-12 teams are ranked once again in the top-25 after the first weekend of Conference play, occupying the top-two spots in the nation with Stanford at No. 1 and USC at No. 2. One of only two teams in the nation with a perfect record, WASHINGTON STATE ranks ninth, giving the Pac-12 the most teams ranked in the top-10 of any other conference. Stanford, USC and Washington State are also only three of seven teams in the country without a loss this season, the most teams without a loss of any other conference.
• The rematch of the 2017 NCAA Women’s College Cup final as No. 16 UCLA visits No. 1 Stanford will be the marquee matchup for Thursday’s three-game Pac-12 Networks slate, which also includes a matchup between No. 2 USC and CALIFORNIA. The battle between the top-two teams in the nation, Stanford and USC, highlights Sunday’s slate of five Pac-12 Networks games, as well as No. 18 COLORADO taking on ARIZONA and No. 9 WSU hosting OREGON STATE.

IN THE RANKINGS:
• Five Pac-12 teams earned a spot in the United Soccer Coaches poll, the most ranked teams for the Conference this season. With Stanford at No. 1 and USC at No. 2, this is the fourth week the Pac-12 has claimed the top-two spots in the nation. No other conference in the nation has claimed the top-two spots this season and the Pac-12 is the only conference in the nation to have two teams ranked in the top-five every week of the season. The Cardinal extended its program-record unbeaten streak to 31 games after defeating Arizona 2-0. Stanford has not lost a game since Aug. 25, 2017, the 10th-longest run in Division I history and the longest since UCLA went 44 games unbeaten from 2013-14.
• The Trojans and Cougars are both off to a historic start. No. 2 USC’s 8-0-1 record and No. 9 Washington State’s perfect 8-0-0 record notched the best start in program history for both teams. UCLA moved down to No. 16 while No. 18 COLORADO remains one of the most dangerous offenses in the country after a 6-0 victory over OREGON STATE. ARIZONA and OREGON are receiving votes.

NATIONAL STATS LEADERS:
• Pac-12 teams have been lethal on offense this season, as Colorado, USC and Stanford rank in the top-10 in the nation in scoring offense and points per game. No other conference in the nation has more than three teams ranked in the top-10 in both categories. The Buffs six goals last week moved them up to second in the nation with a 3.2 goals per game average and are second in points per game with 10.2. USC ranks sixth nationally with 2.89 gpg and 8.78 ppg. The Cardinal are eighth in the country with 2.78 gpg and seventh with 8.22 ppg.
• Tatum Barton and Taylor Kornieck have been the driving force behind Colorado’s dominant offense this season. Barton ranks second in the country with 11 total goals and has scored a handful of those goals off of Kornieck’s nation-leading nine total assists.
• USC, off to its best start in program history, has outscored opponents this season 26-3. Goalkeeper Kaylie Collins has played a major role in the Trojans historic start as she’s notched six shutouts in nine games, giving USC the fourth best shutout percentage in the nation at.778.

MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST:
• Stanford standout Catarina Macario was the Cardinals’ biggest offensive contributor in the 2-0 win over Arizona, notching her fourth goal of the season, a team-best, and her fourth assist of the season. Macario also leads the team with three game-winning goals this season. Macario’s goal came off of a free kick assist from teammate Jaye Boissiere, who earned her first assist of the season.
• Colorado’s Taylor Kornieck continues to be the best passer in the nation, securing another three assists in a 6-0 victory over Oregon State, giving her a nation leading 9 total assists on the season. Only halfway through the season, Kornieck has already tied the program record for most assists in a single season (9, 2003).
• Savannah DeMelo of USC earned a team-leading sixth assist of the season, tied for third best in the Pac-12, in a 3-0 win over Washington. Teammate Ally Prisock played a major role in the Trojan backfield that earned its sixth shutout in nine games. Prisock has played every minute for the Trojan defense that has outscored opponents 26-3 on their way to the best start in program history.
• The Pac-12 has the most representatives on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List with 12 student-athletes, the most from the Conference since eight were named in 2009. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer, presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete. The watch list is headlined by last year’s MAC Hermann Trophy finalist Jessie Fleming of UCLA, and semifinalists Stanford’s Tierna Davidson and Catarina Macario, and UCLA’s Hailie Mace. Stanford leads the nation with five student-athletes on the 2018 watch list, including Davidson, Macario, Alana Cook, Tegan McGrady and Jaye Boissiere. The Conference is also represented by Taylor Korniek, Colorado; Savannah DeMelo and Ally Prisock, USC; Kaiya McCullough and Ashley Sanchez, UCLA.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
• Washington State’s big 1-0 win over UCLA earned the team Pac-12 Offensive, Defensive and Goalkeeper of the Week honors, the first time Washington State has swept the weekly awards. The complete team effort kept the Cougars as one of only two teams with a perfect record in the country and notched their best start to a season in program history.
• Morgan Weaver came up with a clutch game-winning goal in the 61st minute against UCLA to earn her second-straight game-winning goal and second of her career over a top-15 team. This marks her first-career weekly honor.
• Aaqila McLyn was dominant in the backfield for the Cougars in the shutout over UCLA and assisted on Morgan Weaver’s game-winning goal to earn her first-career Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honor.
• Rachel Thompson, in only her third-career start, notched the shutout with a career-best nine saves, the most saves for a Cougar keeper since 2015. Thompson earned her first-career Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week honor.

2017 IN REVIEW:
• Last season, seven Pac-12 teams made the NCAA Tournament with Stanford earning a No. 1 overall seed for the fourth-straight year and was joined in the field by No. 2-seeded UCLA, No. 3-seeded USC, Arizona, Colorado, California and Washington State. Six teams advanced to the second round and three made the round of 16. Stanford was crowned the 2017 NCAA Champion for the second time in program history in the first-ever-all-Pac-12 final against UCLA.

PROMISING FRESHMAN CLASS:
• The incoming Pac-12 freshman class had the most selections of any conference on the Top Drawer Soccer preseason Best XI Freshman team. Sophia Smith of Stanford, Summer Yates of Washington, Maricarmen Reyes of UCLA and Eva Van Deursen of ARIZONA STATE look to make their mark in their first season.

PAC-12 WOMEN’S SOCCER BROADCASTS:
• Pac- 12 Networks coverage on the pitch features a 66-game women’s soccer schedule. All Pac-12 universities appear on the Networks at least seven times in 2018.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded standings)

UPCOMING SCHEDULE (Times local to site)

PAC-12 WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

THIS WEEK: 
Offensive: Morgan Weaver, WSU
Defensive: Aaqila McLyn, WSU
Goalkeeper: Rachel Thompson, WSU

ALSO NOMINATED:
Offensive: Alexia Delgado, ASU; Emma Westin, CAL; Taylor Kornieck, COLO; Marissa Everett, ORE; McKenzie Weinert, OSU; Catarina Macario, STAN; Leah Pruitt, USC.
Defensive: Madison Wolf, ASU; Jesse Loren, COLO; Jazmin Jackmon, ORE; Emery Wallerich, OSU; Naomi Girma, STAN; Tara McKeown, USC.
Goalkeeper: Nikki Panas, ASU; Jalen Tompkins, COLO; Halla Hinriksdottir, ORE; Bridgette Skiba, OSU; Alison Jahansouz, STAN; Kaylie Collins, USC

NATIONAL HONORS

MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List

Alana Cook, Stanford; Tierna Davidson, Stanford; Tegan McGrady, Stanford; Jaye Boissiere, Stanford; Catarina Macario, Stanford; Hailie Mace, UCLA; Jessie Fleming, UCLA; Kaiya McCullough, UCLA; Ashley Sanchez, UCLA; Savannah DeMelo, USC; Ally Prisock, USC; Taylor Kornieck, Colorado