Virginia into Top 5, Navy Enters USA Lacrosse Division I Men's Top 20

Johns Hopkins has hit a relative rough patch.

It is also two plays away from being 7-1 as it heads into Big Ten play.

Both these things can be true.

The Blue Jays lost their second in a row on Friday, a 10-9 overtime defeat at Homewood Field against Navy. Six days earlier, Hopkins fell by a goal to Syracuse on a neutral field.

Toss in the season-opening overtime loss to Denver, and the Blue Jays have three one-goal losses (including two in extra time that might as well be coin flips given the sudden-death nature of the overtime rules) as well as defeats of Georgetown, North Carolina and Virginia.

Is there some frustration for Hopkins over the last two games? Probably. But it’s not like the Blue Jays are getting drubbed, and it’s not as if they haven’t started building a postseason resume.

So, Hopkins takes a hit in this week’s rankings, but it remains in the top 10 as it prepares to visit Rutgers on Sunday.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION I
MEN’S TOP 20

1. Notre Dame, 5-1 (Prev: 1)
2. Army, 7-0 (Prev: 2)
3. Duke, 8-1 (Prev: 3)
4. Penn State, 6-1 (Prev: 4)
5. Virginia, 6-1 (Prev: 7)
6. Denver, 6-1 (Prev: 5)
7. Yale, 4-1 (Prev: 8)
8. Maryland, 5-2 (Prev: 9)
9. Syracuse, 7-2 (Prev: 10)
10. Johns Hopkins, 5-3 (Prev: 6)
11. Georgetown, 4-2 (Prev: 11)
12. Penn, 5-2 (Prev: 12)
13. Cornell, 4-2 (Prev: 15)
14. Harvard, 6-1 (Prev: 14)
15. North Carolina, 6-2 (Prev: 19)
16. Richmond, 5-3 (Prev: 16)
17. Princeton, 4-3 (Prev: 13)
18. Rutgers, 6-2 (Prev: 20)
19. Michigan, 5-3 (Prev: 17)
20. Navy, 4-3 (Prev: NR)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Boston University (5-2), Colgate (6-3), Delaware (3-3), Ohio State (5-4), Quinnipiac (6-0), Towson (5-3)

HOT

North Carolina (+4)

There was a bit of inertia working in favor of the Tar Heels. After all, the three teams directly ahead of them last week each lost by at least eight goals on Saturday.

Carolina, meanwhile, wrapped up a three-game trip to the New York area by routing Wagner 18-4 and turning back Stony Brook 12-8. The Tar Heels have won four in a row since back-to-back setbacks against Hopkins and Princeton, and they’ll close out March at home against High Point and Army.

Virginia (+2)

Calculated and composed are the best two words to describe Virginia’s 14-10 win over Maryland on Saturday in College Park. The Hoos won the turnover battle, dominated on the ground (37-25 in ground balls) and weathered a late three-goal run by scoring the final two goals of the game.

There’s just one loss on Virginia’s resume, and it’s to that Hopkins team that’s in a bit of a rut. Either way, there’s no doubting Virginia’s postseason chances.

NOT

Johns Hopkins (-4)

Only the Big Ten regular season remains for the Blue Jays, who will get three of their last four conference games at home. But first comes a trip to Piscataway to take on a new-look Rutgers team.

Part of the intrigue here is to see how Hopkins responds to back-to-back losses. The only time it happened last season, the Blue Jays ripped off seven of eight to cement themselves as an NCAA tournament team. A similar run this year would put them on the doorstep of a trip to Memorial Day Weekend.

Princeton (-4)

Since a 2-0 start, the Tigers have alternated losses (at Maryland, at Duke and now at home against Cornell) with wins (at North Carolina and at Rutgers). Considering the team’s newness at the offensive end, up-and-down play is to be expected — and is decidedly superior to a prolonged skid.

Still, Sunday’s 15-14 loss was a missed opportunity for Princeton. After a slow start, the Tigers ripped off 10 goals in a row to take a 12-8 lead. And they were up 14-12 with 8:35 to go, only to lose on Matt Dooley’s game winner with a second to go for the Big Red. For postseason purposes — both in the Ivy League and in the NCAA tournament — that loss could loom large.

IN

Navy (No. 20)

What an odd half-season the Midshipmen have had so far. They’ve been drubbed by Towson and Penn State but also ripped Boston University by seven and now won at Johns Hopkins for the second time in three seasons after going 53 years between victories over the Blue Jays at Homewood Field. Max Hewitt scored the overtime winner in Friday’s 10-9 triumph.

The Mids get two games this week in Annapolis: Villanova on Tuesday night in their final non-conference contest, followed by a visit from Holy Cross on Saturday.

OUT

Delaware (was No. 18)

It’s a CAA title or bust for the Blue Hens, who went 2-3 in non-conference play with victories over Lafayette and St. John’s and losses to Penn, Michigan and Syracuse.

Saturday’s 14-6 loss to Syracuse could have been plenty more lopsided. The Blue Hens struggled to get traction at the offensive end against Will Mark (17 saves), while goalie Kevin Ellington made 20 stops. Combined that with the Orange’s 4-for-7 effort on extra man, and Delaware’s ability to keep the Orange to 10 even-strength goals is even more impressive.