The top five in the Nike/US Lacrosse Men's Division III poll stayed the same, but Stevenson and Dickinson were the big movers after posting wins over Gettysburg and Cabrini, respectively.
Amherst also moved into the top 10 after a blistering nine-goal first quarter on its way to a season-opening 17-12 victory over Bowdoin as the NESCAC schedule began in earnest.
Plenty of big games this week, including a very early "War on the Shore" with No. 1 Salisbury travelling to No. 15 Washington and No. 4 RIT battling No. 10 RPI in a Top 10 showdown Saturday in Rochester, N.Y.
March 6, 2017 |
W/L |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salisbury | 5-0 | 1 | 3/11 at No. 15 Washington College |
| 2 | Ithaca | 2-0 | 2 | 3/8 at Oswego State |
| 3 | Tufts | 1-0 | 3 | 3/8 vs. Keene State |
| 4 | RIT | 3-0 | 4 | 3/11 vs. No. 10 RPI |
| 5 | St. Lawrence | 1-0 | 5 | 3/8 vs. Castleton State |
| 6 | Stevenson | 1-1 | 17 | 3/11 vs. Ohio Wesleyan |
| 7 | Dickinson | 3-0 | 20 | 3/11 at Widener |
| 8 | Cabrini | 3-1 | 7 | 3/11 vs. Frostburg State |
| 9 | Gettysburg | 2-1 | 8 | 3/8 vs. No. 12 York |
| 10 | Amherst | 1-0 | 14 | 3/7 at Western New England |
| 11 | RPI | 1-1 | 10 | 3/11 at RIT |
| 12 | York | 4-1 | 6 | 3/8 at No. 9 Gettysburg |
| 13 | Cortland | 1-0 | 14 | 3/6 vs. Nazareth |
| 14 | Denison | 2-1 | 12 | 3/11 vs. Montclair State (at US Lacrosse) |
| 15 | Washington College | 4-0 | 15 | 3/8 vs. Coast Guard |
| 16 | Bowdoin | 0-1 | 9 | 3/11 at Williams |
| 17 | Bates | 3-0 | 18 | 3/11 vs. No. 10 Amherst |
| 18 | Ursinus | 2-0 | NR | 3/8 vs. Montclair State |
| 19 | Lynchburg | 2-2 | NR | 3/11 at Bridgewater |
| 20 | Wesleyan | 0-1 | 19 | 3/8 vs. Roger Williams |
Also considered: Ohio Wesleyan, Washington and Lee, Montclair State, Stevens, Franklin & Marshall, Middlebury
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Dickinson (+13)
A two-goal victory over previously unbeaten Cabrini sent a strong signal that the Red Devils, at 3-0, are making a case to be taken seriously this spring. A tough stretch in March including Denison, RIT and Washington College will go a long way to either solidify their new position in the Top 10, or send them back down the elevator.
Stevenson (+11)
In retrospect, the Mustangs maybe shouldn’t have been penalized last week for a three-goal loss to RIT. They certainly showed something in their second game of the season, dominating Gettysburg at the X and turning a 3-2 lead at the break into a 11-6 victory to even their mark on the year at 1-1 and vault themselves into the Top 10.
NOT
Bowdoin (-7)
Early-season NESCAC action is always tough to read - particularly when the northeast turns into an icebox and shuffles everyone’s game plan, as happened this weekend. But dropping a five goal contest to Amherst wasn’t a good start for the Polar Bears.
York (-6)
A loss in double-OT to a Lynchburg team that has gone in and out of the rankings already on the young season hurt the Spartans, but they can get right back on the proper trajectory if they can turn around and take down Gettysburg in a mid-week contest. Both teams will be looking to bounce back after losses, which makes that one especially interesting.
NEW
Ursinus
The Bears continue to impress and are off to a 3-0 start for the second consecutive season. After scoring a season-high 17 goals in Saturday's win at Albright, Ursinus faces its toughest test of the season when it hosts Montclair State on Wednesday.
Lynchburg
A very challenging schedule to open the season has the Hornets sitting at just 2-2, but Saturday's 9-8 win over York moves the Hornets back in the Top 20. Three of Lynchburg's first four games have been decided by a single goal, including a one-goal loss to No. 1 Salisbury.
OUT
Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan battled tough with No. 1 Salisbury on Saturday before falling 10-6, but the bigger surprise was a midweek 19-18 loss to Illinois Wesleyan. The Battling Bishops play at Stevenson on Saturday, its third Top 10 opponent of the season.
Washington and Lee
Since beating Denison on 15-11 on Feb. 19, the Generals have lost a pair of close ones to Washington College and Franklin & Marshall. W&L's three losses have come by a combined total of just five goals.