FAYETTEVILLE — It has been a season of firsts for Arkansas soccer.
The Razorbacks beat a top 5 team for the first time when they beat No. 2 Duke in August. Then they did it again against No. 4 Florida earlier this month. It was the first time they had ever beaten the Gators.
Other firsts include an 11-1 start, more than 3,000 fans at a home game and getting an athletics director to slide through a mud puddle in his favorite suit.
Arkansas can now add a top 10 ranking in the NCAA's ratings performance index to its list of firsts.
The Razorbacks are No. 9 in this week's RPI, the formula the NCAA uses to determine postseason seedings and regional site hosts. Arkansas (11-1, 4-0 SEC) has a strong postseason resume with seven games left in the regular season.
"Our challenge is how to stay sharp," Arkansas coach Colby Hale said. "We talk all the time about how to handle success and adversity. Sometimes dealing with success is just as hard. I heard a quote the other day that said, 'Success is like perfume. It's OK to smell, but don't drink it.'
"We're earning some of this, but let's enjoy it at the end of the year. No one talks about midseason national champions or conference champions."
The Razorbacks - ranked No. 12 in the latest coaches' poll - are coming off a pair of 2-1 road wins last week at Alabama and Ole Miss. Arkansas beat the Crimson Tide on Lindsey Mayo's golden goal in overtime after Alabama had tied the game with just more than 13 minutes left in regulation.
Ole Miss took an early 1-0 lead Sunday, but the Razorbacks had tied the game 1-1 by halftime. The Razorbacks scored the go-ahead goal on Claire Kelley's header in the second half.
"This team is full of winners and they're going to find ways to win," Hale said. "They're full of confidence and have some belief in themselves, some belief in the system and they're all playing their role. It's just a good, strong, tough, well-rounded group that's having a lot of fun."
Arkansas has only one game this week, at home against Georgia on Friday. It is the team's only game during a 10-day stretch, which will provide some needed rest, Hale said.
"It's coming at a very important time for us," Hale said. "It's nice for the players to only prep for one team."
Following the Georgia game, Arkansas is scheduled to host Vanderbilt next Thursday. The Razorbacks then travel to No. 5 South Carolina, which is tied with Arkansas for first place in the SEC.