Coyotes return to region top spot

Cal State San Bernardino is back in the driver's seat on its road to the post-season as the NCAA Division II championships committee put the Coyotes back in the No. 1 position in the West Region with two matches to play.

The Coyotes, ranked No. 2 in the nation, moved past CCAA rival UC San Diego into the No. 1 spot as they prepare for a showdown with No. 7 Cal State L.A. on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Coussoulis Arena. The Golden Eagles won the first meeting, 3-1, in L.A.

Meanwhile, UC San Diego, the No. 2 team, closes out the regular season on the road at Humboldt State on Friday and at No. 8 Sonoma State on Saturday. The Seawolves are 13-1 at home this season.

A win Friday to enable the Coyotes to clinch at least a tie for their third straight CCAA title and sixth in the last eight seasons with the season finale coming up Saturday night in Coussoulis Arena against conference cellar-dweller Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-23 overall, 2-16 in CCAA).

CSUSB brings a 23-3 record into the final weekend of the regular season, 15-3 in the CCAA. The  team is 77-8 since the start of the 2006 season and 51-5 in the CCAA.

Should the Coyotes finish out with a pair of wins this weekend, they should be No. 1 in the final regional poll due out Sunday night along with the announcement of the eight teams that will compete in the West Regional on Nov. 20-22.

CSUSB could well be the host for the three-day tournament if it meets the site selection criteria set by the NCAA. The Coyotes have hosted the last two regional tournaments, losing in the title match both times to UC San Diego (2006) and Western Washington (2007).

The Coyotes have an unprecedented string of reaching the regional title match for eight straight years, winning on two occasions (2003 and 2004), both at UC San Diego.

The Nov. 12 West Region Poll:

1.      CSUSB (23-3)

2.       UC San Diego (20-5)

3.       Cal Poly Pomona (16-7)

4.       Western Oregon (20-2)

5.       Chico State (18-10

6.       Western Washington (19-3)

7.       Cal State L.A. (20-5)

8.       Sonoma State (21-6)

9.       Central Washington (15-11)

10.   BYU-Hawaii (16-7).