Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Boston University and Lehigh advanced to the Patriot League women’s lacrosse semifinals with wins Tuesday night. The Terriers cruised past Colgate 14-9 and the Mountain Hawks escaped Holy Cross 16-15 in overtime.
A second half push secured the victory for Boston University. After being tied 7-7 at halftime, its offense repeated its first half performance while its defense held Colgate to just two goals.
The Terriers, led by Ava Barry’s team-best five points, used a seven-goal spurt spanning both halves to take a 13-7 lead with 8:39 to play. The Raiders got their first goal in the second period with only six minutes remaining, to which BU responded with a score less than 30 seconds later. Colgate’s goal at the 4:12 mark was the last of the game.
Laible has been a brick wall in the second half! She picks up save No. 11 to preserve our five-goal lead! #GoBU pic.twitter.com/qOKb8caNcW
— BU Womens Lacrosse (@TerrierLacrosse) May 1, 2018
Lehigh led by just three at the break and Holy Cross had to battle from behind to force extra time. The Crusaders had a three-goal run in less than three minutes to knot it at eight with 21:47 left on the clock.
The Mountain Hawks then scored five straight goals to regain the lead, followed by a four-goal spurt from Holy Cross. The two teams then exchanged two more goals apiece until Kerianne Moran assisted Izzy Grant for a Crusader goal that tied it 15-15 with just five seconds to play.
But with 13 seconds remaining in overtime, Lehigh’s Kellie Gough scored the game-winner. She finished with a team-best six points.
Olivia Kelly to Kellie Gough for the overtime game winner! Mountain Hawks beat Holy Cross 16-15 and advance to the @PL_WLacrosse semifinals for a third straight season. pic.twitter.com/Dc4rXUhAox
— Lehigh W Lacrosse (@LehighWLacrosse) May 2, 2018
Lehigh now turns to face No. 2 seed Navy at 7 p.m. on Friday, while Boston University will play top-seeded Loyola at 4 p.m. on Friday.
2. In other Tuesday action, Virginia men dominated VMI 17-8 behind four points each from Mike D’Amario, Matt Emery and Ian Laviano. After falling to Notre Dame by 10 in the ACC tournament, the Cavaliers finish with a 12-5 record ahead of Selection Sunday.
Plus, Salisbury men cruised past Christopher Newport 14-3 to advance to the CAC championship for the 20th straight season. The Sea Gulls will play the winner of York-Frostburg State on Saturday.
3. Denver long-stick midfielder Sean Mayle, an MLL first-round draft pick, will miss the rest of the season after the school and NCAA determined he was academically ineligible.
“Because of the University of Denver’s unique academic quarter system, we have to monitor our academic success twice during the regular season,” coach Bill Tierney said. “Due to a technicality with a course that Sean repeated and passed, the school and NCAA have deemed him ineligible. Not having No. 6 on the field is a huge loss for our program, especially in light of our potential playoff run, but all appeals have been exhausted.”
4. The selection committee for the Division I men’s bracket has a tough job come Sunday. Several teams, including Cornell, Navy, Penn State and Rutgers, let their chances slip last week.
Penn may have the most interesting scenario entering the Ivy tournament at 7-7 while still owning a significant win over Duke. Defeating Yale is key. If the Quakers lose Friday, they drop below a .500 record and will be ineligible for at-large consideration.
Check out the latest bracketology analysis.
Five days out from Selection Sunday,@D1scourse's projected brackethttps://t.co/N2vGYYi3Qq
— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) May 1, 2018
Last 4 In: @UVAMensLax, @NovaLacrosse, @OhioState_MLAX, @PennMensLax
First 4 Out: @Bucknell_MLAX, @CornellLacrosse, @RUmlax, @PennStateMLAX pic.twitter.com/gV9CaDnhLy
5. Michigan women’s lacrosse ended their season on a high note, despite missing out on the Big Ten tournament as its host.
The Wolverines upset Penn State 12-11 with the game-tying and game-winning goals in the final six seconds.
It’s worth another watch.
Check out the unbelievable turn of events in the final 30 seconds of play today.
— Michigan Women’s Lacrosse (@UMichWLAX) April 28, 2018
We are relentless. We will never give in. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/mgMdK7wsSe
Plus, our bracketologist checks in on all conferences as Selection Sunday nears.
6. The St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) Friars and Malvern Prep (Pa.) Friars shined in this week’s Nike/US Lacrosse High School Boys’ National Top 25, soaring into the Top 10 and joining the rankings at No. 22, respectively.
Plus, the leader in the Nike/US Lacrosse High School Girls’ National Top 25, No. 1 McDonogh, survived an overtime challenge from Notre Dame Prep to extend its win streak to 195.
7. Congratulations to the Brine/US Lacrosse Girls’ and Warrior/US Lacrosse Boys’ Players of the Week.