Familiarity breeds contempt — one reason why league play represents a gloriously challenging part of sports schedules.
NESCAC life may just represent the ultimate of those challenges. As a result, a new No. 1 sits atop the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20 this week as previous perch-sitter Middlebury dropped an 11-10 overtime game at conference rival and then-No. 12 Bowdoin Saturday. Unbeaten Gettysburg assumes the top spot, but perhaps not for long as No. 2 TCNJ visits Thursday.
Of course, the Panthers may have something to say about this 1-2 showdown tonight, as they travel to the Lions in a quick turnaround against another difficult foe on the road.
March 27, 2017 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gettysburg | 8-0 | 2 | 3/30 vs. No. 2 TCNJ |
| 2 | TCNJ | 4-0 | 3 | 3/27 vs. No. 10 Middlebury |
| 3 | Brockport | 6-0 | 4 | 3/29 vs. No. 13 St. John Fisher |
| 4 | Washington and Lee | 8-1 | 6 | 3/28 at Sweet Briar |
| 5 | Franklin & Marshall | 6-1 | 7 | 3/29 vs. No. 10 Middlebury |
| 6 | Ithaca | 6-1 | 8 | 3/28 at Elmira |
| 7 | Trinity | 8-1 | 9 | 4/1 at No. 9 Bowdoin |
| 8 | William Smith | 6-1 | 11 | 3/31 at Bard |
| 9 | Bowdoin | 6-1 | 12 | 4/1 vs. No. 7 Trinity |
| 10 | Middlebury | 5-1 | 1 | 3/27 at No. 2 TCNJ |
| 11 | York | 5-2 | 13 | 3/27 at Frostburg State |
| 12 | Cortland | 4-2 | 10 | 4/1 at New Paltz |
| 13 | St. John Fisher | 3-2 | 5 | 3/29 at No. 3 Brockport |
| 14 | Catholic | 4-2 | 15 | 3/29 at Rowan |
| 15 | Wesleyan | 6-2 | 15 | 4/1 at No. 17 Colby |
| 16 | Salisbury | 7-3 | 14 | 3/29 vs. Wesley |
| 17 | Colby | 3-3 | 26 | 4/1 vs. No. 15 Wesleyan |
| 18 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps | 7-1 | 20 | 3/27 vs. Linfield |
| 19 | Tufts | 3-3 | 19 | 4/1 vs. Connecticut College |
| 20 | Hamilton | 5-3 | NR | 4/1 vs. Bates |
Also Considered: Amherst, Bates, Messiah, Oberlin, Rhodes
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Bowdoin (+3)
The Polar Bears nailed a 3-0 week, dispatching of Endicott and Williams by identical 14-5 scores on back-to-back days before stunning then-No. 1 Middlebury, 11-10, in overtime Saturday. Bowdoin rallied from a three-goal second-half deficit to take a 10-9 lead and withstood the Panthers’ momentum when Hollis Perticone tied the game with 2.2 seconds left in regulation on a free-position shot. Annie Glenn won it for the Bears in OT.
NOT
St. John Fisher (-8)
The Cardinals Tuesday dropped a double-overtime heartbreaker at then-No. 11 William Smith, 6-5, before being welcomed into Empire Eight Conference play by Stevens to the tune of a 15-9 defeat. St. John Fisher ends a three-game road trip Wednesday at No. 3 Brockport.
NEW
Hamilton
The Continentals return after a 3-0 week that included a 7-4 road win at NESCAC rival Amherst Saturday. Hamilton is 3-1 in league play, and its loss was by one goal. The Continentals have three straight at home against conference rivals coming up, starting Saturday against Bates.
OUT
Mary Washington
Mary Washington exits after a 10-6 loss at then No. 13 York in Capital Athletic Conference play Saturday. The Eagles’ offense has proven inconsistent, averaging 14.4 goals in seven wins and 5.8 goals in four losses. They need a win at Christopher Newport Wednesday if they have hopes of catching Salisbury and York in the CAC.