MIT Enters USA Lacrosse Division III Women's Top 20

Prior to this past week, Middlebury hadn’t been tested a great deal this season. Rather than show any weakness in the loaded week, though, the Panthers came away looking even stronger, and proved exactly why they’ve been immovable from the No. 1 spot in the USA Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.

Middlebury beat Franklin & Marshall in decisive fashion (18-9) on Tuesday before handing TCNJ a similar result (14-6) just two days later. Middlebury then capped its week of three games in four days with a 14-3 win over Connecticut College on Friday. Preseason first-team All-American Hope Shue recorded a hat trick or better in each game.

While the top 10 saw very little movement this week, the differences between teams in spots 11-20 and also considered is still razor thin.

Take a look at how each team fared in this week’s Top 20.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
WOMEN’S TOP 20

1. Middlebury, 7-0 (Prev: 1)
2. William Smith, 7-0 (Prev: 2)
3. Tufts, 8-0 (Prev: 3)
4. Salisbury, 7-2 (Prev: 5)
5. Franklin & Marshall, 6-2 (Prev: 4)
6. Washington and Lee, 7-3 (Prev: 6)
7. Gettysburg, 6-2 (Prev: 7)
8. TCNJ, 5-1 (Prev: 8)
9. Pomona-Pitzer, 9-0 (Prev: 9)
10. Wesleyan, 5-1 (Prev: 10)
11. Colby, 5-1 (Prev: 12)
12. Stevens, 7-0 (Prev. 15)
13. Roanoke, 6-2 (Prev: 13)
14. Christopher Newport, 8-2 (Prev. 16)
15. York, 2-5 (Prev: 11)
16. Trinity, 4-3 (Prev: 14)
17. Ithaca, 5-1 (Prev. 18)
18. Williams, 4-1 (Prev. 19)
19. MIT, 6-1 (Prev. NR)
20. Chicago, 3-3 (Prev: 17)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Amherst, Cortland, Denison, Hamilton, Kenyon, St. John Fisher

HOT

Stevens (+3)

Stevens is staying hot midway through the season and is one of five remaining undefeated teams in the Top 20. At 7-0, Stevens continues to climb the board and inch closer to the top 10.

Colby (+1)

Colby doesn’t seem to be too discouraged from its first loss of the season to Amherst — and its subsequent dip in the rankings because of it. A decisive win over Hamilton has Colby back up one spot to No. 11.

NOT

Chicago (-3)

Chicago is this week’s biggest casualty because of how strong the bottom half of the Top 20 remains. The Maroons dominated Wisconsin (River Falls) on Monday, and their only loss of the week was to Salisbury. But, given the weeks other schools around them had, plus the comparison of records, Chicago couldn’t stop a slide.

Trinity (-2)

Trinity went 1-2 this week, narrowly escaping Springfield College 10-9 before dropping consecutive games against Williams and Babson. The Bantams are now just outside of the top 15.

IN

MIT (No. 19)

It’s a simple equation for MIT this week: beat the team that just got in, be the team that just got in. The Engineers had been teetering on the edge of the Top 20 all season, but with a 6-1 record and a win over Amherst, they finally stake claim to the No. 19 spot.

OUT

Amherst (was No. 20)

Amherst lost both of its contests this week, to MIT and Bowdoin, leading to a short stay in the Top 20. The Mammoths are still a solid team in the NESCAC with plenty of chances to pave their way back in.