Marina Girls No. 3 in National Soccer Poll

Marina, the Southern Section Division I girls’ soccer champion, is ranked No. 3 in the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America poll.

The Vikings, who finished their season 21-0-1, are tied with Chapel Hill (N.C.) (13-0) for third. Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas (28-0) is No. 1 and Kingwood (Tex.) (29-0) is No. 2.

This is the first poll of the winter/spring season. In many parts of the country, girls’ soccer is played in the spring, so the final poll will be released in June.

Marina, which has a 61-game unbeaten streak, was ranked fifth in the final 1994 poll. Marina Coach Bobby Bruch, who resigned after the season, was asked what the ranking means to him.

“It means I wish we were playing St. Thomas Aquinas next Thursday,” Bruch said.