The Muhlenberg men’s soccer team is ranked in the first National Soccer Coaches Association Division III poll of the new season.

The Mules are ranked fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Region and received votes for the national top 25. They opened their season with neutral-site wins against Claremont (2-1) and Kings Point (3-0) at Johns Hopkins.

Hopkins, which defeated the same two teams by the same scores, is second in the region and ninth in Division III. Messiah, the No. 1 team in the country, and Drew are the other two teams ahead of Muhlenberg.

Polt leads all active Muhlenberg players with nine career goals.

Junior LisaAnn Polt tipped in the ball from just in front of the cage with 18:57 left in the game for the lone goal. The Mules, who improved to 3-0 for the second time in three years, had a 19-5 advantage in shots and a 13-2 edge in penalty corners (9-0 in the second half).

Junior Lauren Schram made four saves for her 12th career shutout, lowering her season goals-against average to 0.93.

In running its winning streak against the Greyhounds (0-2) to eight, the field hockey team gave Muhlenberg an early 1-0 lead in the 2005-06 Matte Award standings. The next Matte contest is a men’s soccer game at Moravian on Saturday.

Click here for box score.