Field Hockey Matches Program Record With No. 6 Ranking

Stanford moved up two spots to No. 6 in this week's Kookaburra/NFHCA National Coaches poll on Tuesday.

	Thanks to an impressive weekend sweep of conference opponents that was highlighted by a 3-2 statement over rival California, Stanford has equaled one program milestone while inching closer to another.

Sept. 27, 2011

STANFORD, Calif.- Thanks to an impressive weekend sweep of conference opponents that was highlighted by a 3-2 statement over rival California, Stanford has equaled one program milestone while inching closer to another.

Stanford moved up two spots to No. 6 in this week's Kookaburra/NFHCA National Coaches poll on Tuesday. The No. 6 national ranking matches the highest in program history, first achieved on Sept. 22, 1987, when the Cardinal checked in at No. 6 following a 4-1 start.

Stanford (8-1, 3-0 NorPac) is one of five teams in the country with just one loss, joining No. 2 North Carolina (9-1), No. 3 Maryland (8-1), No. 4 Connecticut (7-1) and No. 15 Maine (10-1). Only No. 1 Old Dominion, unbeaten in 10 games, has put together a better season heading into October.

Stanford opened the year ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll, climbed to No. 16 in the first regular-season edition of the rankings and vaulted to No. 9 the following week.

The Cardinal has already defeated four top-20 programs, highlighted by last weekend's 3-2 victory over then-No. 12 California as a record crowd produced an electric atmosphere at the Varsity Turf.

Avoiding any signs of a hangover effect, Stanford followed that triumph with a 3-1 victory at UC Davis to stay unbeaten through three conference games.

As a result of the win at UC Davis, Stanford has now won seven straight games. It's the Cardinal's longest winning streak since an 8-0 start to the 2009 campaign. The school record for consecutive wins stands at nine, accomplished from Oct. 9-Nov. 8 back in 1985.

Stanford will try to extend its winning streak to eight in a row on Friday, when the Cardinal hosts Robert Morris (6-5, 0-0 NEC) in a 7 p.m. matchup at the Varsity Turf. The Colonials have won four of their last five games but will be playing the second contest of a six-game road trip. Competing in only its eighth year of existence, Robert Morris' current win total of six is a school record.

Earlier this week, Stanford swept the NorPac West Division's Player of the Week awards, with Becky Dru (Offensive), Kelsey Lloyd (Defensive) and Alex McCawley (Rookie) being honored.