BILLINGS — Rocky Mountain College women’s soccer players and fans woke up a bit stunned Friday.
The Battlin’ Bears moved to 11-0-4 with a Thursday night win over Bushnell (Ore.), but come Friday morning, the record on the school’s website showed 8-7 with the Bears forfeiting their first seven matches of the season.
"Due to the inadvertent use of an ineligible student-athlete, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has required the Rocky Mountain College Women's Soccer team to vacate the wins and draws earned in the first seven matches of the season," Rocky Mountain College said in a statement to MTN Sports.
"Despite this adjustment, the Battlin’ Bears remain fully eligible for postseason play and have clinched a berth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament.”
Rocky has been in the midst of a historic season and Thursday won its eighth consecutive match with a 6-0 shutout of Bushnell, tying the record for the longest winning streak in program history. The Bears haven't allowed a goal during the streak, and the eight shutouts are a program record.
The CCC conference tournament begins Nov. 7 in Medford, Ore. The updated standings on the CCC website show Rocky in third with an 8-3 conference record behind College of Idaho and Northwest (Wash.), who are both now 8-2.
Rocky senior Charlize Davis leads the CCC with 16 goals scored and nine assists.
Should the Battlin' Bears qualify for the NAIA national tournament, it’s unclear how the forfeits would affect their seeding. Rocky was ranked 16th in the final STADIONIC-NAIA Women’s Soccer National Selection Committee (NSC) Top 25 Poll on Wednesday.
The NAIA national tournament begins Nov. 19 at campus sites.
