Oct. 23, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford women's soccer team returned to No. 1 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire coaches' poll, which was released Tuesday.

Stanford's weekend home sweep over Washington and Washington State, combined with previously undefeated Florida State's 3-2 loss at Boston College on Thursday, enabled the Cardinal to vault from No. 2 past the Seminoles in the rankings.

The new rankings add to the intrigue for a Pac-12 showdown on Sunday between No. 1 Stanford (14-1-1, 8-0) and No. 2 UCLA (14-0-2, 7-0-1), which also leapfrogged past Florida State.

Stanford plays at UCLA's Drake Stafium on Sunday at 6 p.m. in a match televised nationally on the Pac-12 Networks.

Stanford first plays at unranked USC on Friday (7 p.m.), while UCLA plays host to No. 21 California.

Stanford was the NSCAA's preseason No. 1 and held the ranking for an additional two weeks before being upset by then-unranked West Virginia on Aug. 26, 1-0, in University Park, Pa.

Stanford also has been ranked No. 1 the past three seasons, and advanced to the NCAA College Cup final each time.

Complete NSCAA/Continental Tire Coaches' Poll.