Taylor's Takes: Adjust and Excel

February has come and gone, and we witnessed a ton of incredible lacrosse across the Division I landscape.

There have been overtime battles and upset victories, and the parity among the Top 25 is more noticeable than ever. At this point in the season, some teams are starting to find their identities, others already look poised for the Final Four, and many squads have pieces of their puzzles left to connect. Little tweaks made by teams in March can often pay huge dividends come May, and I love seeing which programs are able to adjust for the better during this stretch.

This week, we’ll review February, noting the NCAA championship top contender, dark horse teams and others that could shake things up.

TOP CONTENDER

Northwestern

Northwestern has all the pieces it could possibly wish for in its attempt to repeat. The Wildcats returned not one, but two Tewaaraton finalists in Izzy Scane and Erin Coykendall, along with an all-star group of some of the best players in the country — defender Sammy White, goalie Molly Laliberty and center Samantha Smith. With that much talent and experience, it’s easy to see why they have been in and out of the No. 1 position in the polls.

Against Boston College last week, Northwestern looked solid across the board, and all areas appeared to be working like well-oiled machines. The Wildcats’ standard pick-heavy offense flowed smoothly, their high-pressure zone created havoc for the BC offensive unit and they were able to get point-blank saves from their keeper. The biggest difference for the Wildcats is the depth of their offense and how many weapons they have outside of Scane and Coykendall. That depth makes defending the Cats well for 60 minutes next to impossible. 

At this point, they are the team to beat, and one can assume they will only get better with each game. I expect to see them at the Final Four, but anything can happen!

FEBRUARY FINAL FOUR

Northwestern, James Madison, Notre Dame, North Carolina

When looking at all of February, the four teams that impressed me most were Northwestern, James Madison, Notre Dame and North Carolina. The Wildcats were the most impressive, but the Dukes, Irish and Tar Heels were not far behind.

JMU just always seems to find a way. They are a gritty, blue-collar program best known for excellent defensive execution, solid and steady offensive production and a relentless mindset. The Dukes aren’t the flashiest, but they get it done. Isabella Peterson is making another Tewaaraton Award finalist run, and Maddie Epke is having an all-star sophomore campaign. Together, alongside attacker Kacey Knobloch, they make for a three-headed monster many defenses struggle to keep up with. 

Notre Dame has had one of its best starts in program history with key wins over Northwestern and North Carolina. Attacking phenoms Jackie Wolak, Madison Ahearn and Kasey Choma have a chemistry that’s hard to plan for, and ND’s zone defense is more complete than I’ve seen recently. The Irish’s secret weapon is Kelly Denes at the draw circle. She has the ability to turn the game on its head with the literal flick of her wrist. Hopefully for Notre Dame fans, the Irish’s success continues across both ends of the field and they find themselves at the Final Four. 

This year’s UNC squad is young but experienced, which is a dangerous combination. Their younger players are surrounded by veteran studs in Ashley Humphrey, Alyssa Long, Emily Nalls and Caitlyn Wurzberger, which allows them to play with a looseness and freedom that others struggle to find. The calmness of their veterans, combined with the risk taking of their youth, makes UNC a dangerous team to face. If they can continue to grow and learn from their mistakes, the Heels will be hard to beat.

ADJUST AND EXCEL

Boston College, Syracuse, Maryland

Boston College won the transfer portal game with attackers Emma LoPinto and Rachel Clark joining an already stacked roster. Add in Shea Dolce in the cage, Belle Smith in the midfield and Sydney Scales on defense, and the Eagles are going to give teams headaches. But the Eagles struggled to find their groove against Northwestern early on because of iffy decision making and uncharacteristic swings on defense.

In the end, their defense settled in and their offense exploited the holes in the Wildcats’ zone more efficiently, but it was too little, too late. Boston College has all the pieces to make another run; it’s just a matter of if they can consistently come together, make smart decisions and execute. 

Syracuse and Maryland each have the same adjustments to make. Both have solid goalkeeping, talented defenses and security in the center circle, but they need to solidify their offensive identities, as well as find their go-to leader on the offense in crunch time.

Each team has a plethora of attacking weapons that are unbelievably talented, but both are in need of that special person (or two) who wants the ball in big moments. If the Orange and the Terps can each secure their brands offensively and get more confidence in those big moments as a collective, they will be so hard to stop.

DARK HORSES

Michigan, Florida, Virginia

Michigan, Florida and Virginia can all shake things up and make a deep run if they continue to perform like they did in February. 

Michigan already has quality wins over USC and Denver, both teams in the Top 20, but I’m curious to see how the Wolverines perform against other top 10 opponents. Their Big Ten schedule is a tough one with Northwestern, Maryland, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers and Penn State all ranked, and their performances against them will show us just how talented the Wolverines are. I love the grit and confidence that Michigan embodies, and I know they will challenge every team they face the rest of the season.

Florida faced a potential 0-3 start before pulling out a comeback win over Maryland. The Gators’ unwavering belief was what stood out most to me when watching that game, and that intangible quality will serve them well as this long season progresses. On paper, Florida’s upcoming conference play isn’t as difficult as their non-conference schedule, so it will be imperative that the Gators continue to focus on the little details and build their team chemistry. If they do so, Florida can make their first Final Four since 2012. 

Virginia could make their first Final Four appearance in a decade as long as it continues to play at this caliber. The Cavs have played a few one-goal games, winning two of them, and have gained confidence and improved their resiliency. Morgan Schwab has been Virginia’s dynamic offensive quarterback behind the crease, while goalie Mel Josephson has been stout. If those two can continue to lead, the Cavaliers could make some serious waves in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.