One of last year’s national semifinalists got its 2020 season off to a virtually ideal start on Saturday.

Another, not so much.

Preseason No. 1 Penn State cruised to a 16-9 victory over Lafayette in its opener, building an 11-goal lead through three quarters. The usual suspects had monster days; Grant Ament collected four goals and six assists, Mac O’Keefe scored six goals and Gerard Arceri won 19 of 21 faceoffs.

Things weren’t so pleasant for No. 5 Duke, which dropped a 14-13 decision to Air Force. The Falcons rattled off four consecutive unassisted goals in the fourth quarter, taking the lead for the first time all day with 3:52 remaining and then holding on for their third victory over the Blue Devils in the last five seasons.

Air Force’s victory triggered the only movement in the rankings, with both the Falcons rising into the top 20 and Duke falling out of the top 10 after its patented annual early-season setback to an unheralded foe.

Nike/US Lacrosse
Division I Men’s Top 20

Also considered (alphabetical order): Army, Delaware, Georgetown, High Point, Michigan, Princeton, Richmond

Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings

Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women

HOT

Maryland, North Carolina (+1), Rutgers (+1)

None of these teams moved much, but all recorded lopsided opening victories that warrant a mention.

A dominant second half helped Maryland cruise a 23-12 rout of High Point, its largest scoring output since a 23-goal showing against Mount St. Mary’s on Feb. 12, 2013. Logan Wisnauskas scored six goals for the Terrapins.

North Carolina attackman (and Boston University transfer) Chris Gray, no doubt right at home facing Patriot League competition, scored four goals and added two assists in his first game with the Tar Heels in a 19-6 defeat of Colgate.

Rutgers got four goals from Ryan Gallagher and two goals and five assists from Kieran Mullins in a 20-9 victory over Quinnipiac. It was the Scarlet Knights’ first 20-goal game since dropping 21 on NJIT in 2015.

NOT

Duke (-8)

Candidly, this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. The loss to Air Force means that for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons, the Blue Devils have suffered a February defeat. And even in 2014, the lone time in that span Duke escaped the month unscathed, they were tripped up on March 1.

Duke did race to 5-0 lead on Saturday, so it wasn’t as if it was lethargic all day. It simply let a capable Air Force team hang around too long, then couldn’t produce an answer in the closing minutes.

“I wasn’t disappointed in our effort,” coach John Danowski told reporters. “But I think we get tight when the game is close versus and opponent that quote ‘you’re supposed to beat’ and they don’t have fun. They don’t enjoy it. I think the Air Force kids were having a blast. They were having a lot of fun in the fourth quarter and I think our guys played really tight.”

IN

Air Force (No. 12)

The Falcons got help from all over their roster in upsetting Duke on the road for the third time since 2016. Senior goalie Braden Host made 17 saves. Quincy Peane posted a career-high five points, scoring four times against the Blue Devils. And attackman Brandon Dodd comes out of the season’s first weekend as the very early favorite for national freshman of the year after a four-goal, four-assist debut.

And now a sobering bit of reality for Air Force: Denver makes the trip down Interstate 25 on Saturday to face the Falcons in its season opener. Nonetheless, Air Force already owns what should hold up as one of the more riveting victories of the 2020 season.

OUT

Army (previously No. 20)

Someone needed to make room for Air Force, and that someone was the team sitting at No. 20 in the preseason. Through no fault of their own, the Black Knights slip back to No. 21 this week. But with No. 15 Massachusetts coming to Michie Stadium on Saturday, there’s an immediate chance to climb back into the top 20.