DAHLONEGA | Tuesday morning the University of North Georgia women's soccer team achieved its highest ranking in program history, jumping six slots to No. 4 in this week's NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division II poll.  Wednesday the program will host No. 17 Columbus State in a pivotal Peach Belt contest with a 6 p.m. start at the UNG Soccer Complex.
 
The Nighthawks made the drastic jump after a 5-0 thrashing of nationally ranked-Clayton State and coming from behind to earn a point on the road against UNC Pembroke.
 
Columbus State is coming off a double overtime loss to rival Clayton State, their first defeat of the season. The Cougars fell to third in the PBC standings and 15 spots in the NSCAA poll to 17th nationally.
 
North Georgia, the only unbeaten team in Peach Belt play, currently trails Clayton State in the conference standings, which are determined by points. The Lakers have 24 points on the season having played nine league games already, while UNG has only played seven games thus far. However, the Nighthawks claim the PBC's highest winning percentage and still control their own destiny in the conference title race.
 
Wednesday night's matchup will feature the league's two best goalkeepers this year, statistically, with North Georgia's Mallory Sayre and Columbus State's Maylyn Parsons leading the way in goals against average at 0.65 and 0.69, respectively.
 
UNG leads the nation in scoring offense averaging 4.33 goals per game, though the Cougars are not far behind ranking seventh nationally at 3.15 goals per game.