Five clustered at top prior to conference play openers Thursday

Five clustered at top prior to conference play openers Thursday

  As conference play commences Thursday, five teams currently sit over the .500 mark.

  Paradise Valley currently leads the way with a 5-2-1 overall record. The Pumas scored a pair of wins last week, 5-0, over GateWay and 11-0 against South Mountain.

  Right there with PVCC is Chandler-Gilbert at 5-1. The Coyotes won twice; a 1-0 victory over Cochise with Amber Sammon scoring early and a 2-1 triumph over Scottsdale. In that one Nicole Hoffmann got the game-winner in the 71st minute.

  Mesa improved to 4-1-1. The T-Birds suffered a 6-1 beating at the hands of Scottsdale as Ashton Langhofer and Michaela Bentley each tallied twice for SCC. The T-Birds bounced back with a 1-0 win over Cochise with Berkeley Larson scoring in the first half.

  Meanwhile, Arizona Western is now 4-2-1. The Matadors won in overtime against Phoenix with Elizabeth Ephraim scoring three minutes into extra time. They also beat Glendale, 7-1.

  Despite the loss to AZW, Phoenix sits at 3-1-2. The Bears topped Pima, 1-0, Thursday. Tu Nguyen knocked in the game-winner in the 66th minute.