William Smith won twice last week and took advantage of Trinity’s loss to Middlebury to ascend to the top spot in this week’s Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.
The Herons continued their hot play, extending their win streak to nine games. No. 2 Washington and Lee showed no rust from a two-week layoff for exams, hammering Randolph-Macon, 14-2. The Bantams began the week with an 11-8 win over Wesleyan before falling at home to then-No. 4 Middlebury in double overtime, 10-9, to drop to No. 5.
Following a 2-0 week, TCNJ moves to No. 4, and teams 6-9 also held serve. But Bowdoin and Franklin & Marshall each dropped two games to fall from Nos. 10 and 11, respectively.
Several league clashes, including the Capital Athletic Conference tournament, will help to shape the rankings going forward as teams begin to jockey for NCAA tournament positioning.
April 17, 2017 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Smith | 12-1 | 3 | 4/21 at St. Lawrence |
| 2 | Washington and Lee | 10-1 | 2 | 4/19 at Shenandoah |
| 3 | Middlebury | 10-2 | 4 | 4/18 at Union |
| 4 | TCNJ | 9-1 | 5 | 4/18 at Rowan |
| 5 | Trinity | 11-2 | 1 | 4/22 vs. No. 12 Hamilton |
| 6 | Brockport | 10-1 | 6 | 4/18 at Buffalo State |
| 7 | Gettysburg | 11-2 | 7 | 4/19 Dickinson |
| 8 | York | 13-2 | 8 | 4/22 vs. Chris. Newport or St. Mary’s |
| 9 | Cortland | 9-3 | 9 | 4/18 vs. Oneonta |
| 10 | Ithaca | 11-2 | 12 | 4/19 vs. No. 12 Hamilton |
| 11 | Colby | 9-3 | 15 | 4/20 vs. Colorado College |
| 12 | Hamilton | 9-4 | 12 | 4/19 at No. 10 Ithaca |
| 13 | Tufts | 8-4 | 18 | 4/18 at Bates |
| 14 | Messiah | 10-2 | NR | 4/19 vs. Lebanon Valley |
| 15 | St. John Fisher | 7-4 | 13 | 4/18 vs. Utica |
| 16 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps | 12-1 | 16 | 4/19 at Chapman |
| 17 | Wesleyan | 9-4 | 19 | 4/22 at No. 13 Tufts |
| 18 | Bowdoin | 9-4 | 10 | 4/22 vs. Colorado College |
| 19 | Franklin & Marshall | 9-4 | 11 | 4/19 at McDaniel |
| 20 | Salisbury | 11-5 | 14 | 4/22 vs. Frostburg State or Mary Washington |
Also Considered: Baldwin Wallace, Cabrini, Catholic, Colorado College, Meredith, Muhlenberg, Oberlin, Rhodes, Stevens
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Colby (+4)
The Mules started 2-3, with two of the setbacks by a goal each to Trinity and Salisbury, respectively, but since have won seven straight. Noteworthy among that streak is that Colby’s last three wins came on the road in the NESCAC, including an 18-9 defeat of previously 10th-ranked Bowdoin. The Mules close the regular season with three straight at home, beginning Thursday with an intriguing non-league game against a 12-2 Colorado College team.
NOT
Bowdoin (-8)
The Polar Bears have lost two in a row to ranked NESCAC foes, but by non-competitive margins. Bowdoin lost to then-No. 15 Colby at home, 18-9, and did not appear to wake up in a 14-7 defeat at then-No. 19 Wesleyan. The Bears are idle until Saturday at home against Colorado College, where they’ll hope to put a scout of the Thursday’s Tigers-Mules matchup to good use.
NEW
Messiah
The Falcons started 2-2, challenging ranked teams Gettysburg and York before falling. They’ve since won eight straight to surge to No. 14 thanks in part to Tuesday’s 17-11 beatdown of then-No. 11 F&M.
OUT
Mary Washington
The Eagles concluded their regular season 13-4 overall, but they could not catch Salisbury and York in the CAC standings, having lost to each. Those top two seeds in the league tournament will enjoy a first-round bye, while third-seeded Mary Washington hosts Frostburg State for the second time in six days tomorrow. A win would send the Eagles to second-seeded Salisbury Saturday.