Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Albany-Maryland lived up to the hype.
Albany's Connor Fields put on a Tewaaraton-worthy performance with three goals and five assists, but No. 2 Maryland escpaed with a 12-11 road victory at No. 7 Albany. More than 3,000 fans poured into Albany's Tom & Mary Casey Stadium, creating an electric playoff atmosphere in a back-and-forth game. Tim Rotanz led the Terps with three goals and Ben Chisolm had two key fourth quarter tallies.
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In Division III, the showdown between No. 1 Salisbury and No. 3 York in the Capital Athletic Conference turned out to be a showcase for the Gulls. Leading 9-6 early in the third quarter, Salisbury went on an 8-1 run and finished up with a 17-10 win. Nick Garbarino scored all three of his goals during the run.
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Four days after being stunned by Swarthmore, Gettysburg opened up an 8-1 lead on No. 5 Dickinson and then held on for a wild 11-10 victory. Dickinson scored seven straight goals to tie it 10-10 before the Bullets' Tommy Heller scored the game-winner with 1:33 to play.
2. Maryland's women are ridiculous...again.
I'm almost positive I've written that phrase before, and it's for good reason. After winning the national title in 2015, Maryland graduated seven starters. No problem. The Terps went undefeated until falling in the national title game. This year, the Terps graduated three-time Tewaaraton winner Taylor Cummings and Team USA defender Alice Mercer. No worries. Maryland's 18-12 win over No. 7 Princeton last night, pushed the Terps to 14-0 with only a 13-10 win over North Carolina decided by fewer than four goals. Over the last five seasons, the Terps are 102-4. Seriously.
PHOTO BY JOHN STROHSACKER
Megan Whittle had five goals in Maryland's 18-12 victory over Princeton on Wednesday. The No. 1 Terps are now 14-0 this season and a staggering 102-4 over the last five seasons.
3. York puts an end to Salisbury's streak.
Salisbury's women's lacrosse team had won 101 consecutive Capital Athletic Conference games dating to 2002 before falling to No. 8 York, 10-6, on Wednesday. York had never beaten Salisbury in school history.
4. Could change really be coming to early recruiting?
The NCAA Division I Council begins meetings in Indianapolis today and could vote on legislation that would stem the tide of early recruiting in collegiate lacrosse. College coaches sound hopeful, but skeptical, of change being enacted.
5. The dawn of the Pac 12, could mean the end of the MPSF.
The addition of varsity women's lacrosse at Arizona State led to the formation of the Pac 12 women's lacrosse league for next season, and that could mean the end of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). The MPSF has played a major role in helping to grown lacrosse in the West.
6. The Under Armour All-American who never got recruited.
Late bloomer Ellora Sen shares her first person account of her college lacrosse hopes getting derailed by a torn ACL. Despite receiving recognition alongside some of the best players in the country, the early recruiting machine passed her by.
7. A legend of the game is retiring after this season - MIT's Walter Alessi.
Walter Alessi, the head coach at MIT for the past 43 seasons, announced on Wednesday that the 2017 season would be his last. Alessi has won 285 games at one of the most rigorous academic schools in the country and has led the Engineers into the conference tournament for the past eight seasons.
“When I was hired as a part-time lacrosse coach in 1974 and then offered a full-time position in 1975, I expected to use MIT as a stepping stone to a better position,” Alessi said. "It didn’t take me long to realize that there was no better position. The students here are absolutely the best. The give it their all in everything they do.
PHOTO COURTESY MIT
Walter Alessi will retire at the end of the 2017 season after coaching MIT for the past 43 years. This year's team is off to a 7-3 start and 2-0 in the NEWMAC, aiming for a ninth