Fresh off winning a second-straight Region VI championship, the Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team jumped two spots to No. 3 in the latest NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Poll.

Hutchinson defeated Johnson County 3-2 in the semifinals and then defeated No. 10 Butler in the championship game on Sunday in Topeka to capture the program’s third regional championship.

The victories vaulted the Lady Dragons (17-2) to No. 3, matching the highest national ranking in program history. HCC finished the 2010 season at No. 3.

Now two victories away from a first berth in the NJCAA national tournament, the Lady Dragons play host to the NJCAA District B Tournament. HCC plays No. 14 Laramie County in the first of two semifinals. No. 8 North Idaho and Region VI runner-up Butler will meet in the other semifinal.

The Lady Dragons started the 2011 season unranked despite having one All-American and six other all-conference players return from a Jayhawk Conference and Region VI championship season that finished 21-1 and one victory short of the NJCAA national tournament.

After HCC’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory over No. 5 Butler on Oct. 9, the Lady Dragons finally appeared in the poll at No. 8 and jumped up to No. 5 after a 4-0 victory over Johnson County on Oct. 19.

Tyler Junior College (20-0) and Scottsdale (19-0-1) remain Nos. 1 and 2. No. 3 Paradise Valley and No. 6 Georgia Perimeter both lost last week and fell to Nos. 6 and 7, respectively.

(HCC Sports Information)