Top-ranked Salisbury seems to have picked up right where it left off after winning the NCAA Division III women’s lacrosse championship last year.

The Sea Gulls improved to 2-0 with a 13-4 win over No. 13 Catholic on Saturday, as Erin Scannell and Meredith Price each tallied three goals to lead the attack. A big test looms next weekend when they host new No. 3 Washington & Lee, which took Franklin & Marshall’s spot after edging the Diplomats 10-9 on Saturday.

Those were the only games involving two ranked teams last week. Five more ranked teams jump into action this week, and the season hits full swing heading into March.

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III WOMEN’S TOP 20

Also considered (alphabetical order): Amherst (0-0), Bowdoin (0-0), Chicago (0-0), FDU-Florham (0-0), SUNY Geneseo (0-0), Mary Washington (0-0), Meredith (0-0), Roanoke (0-0), St. Mary's (0-0)

Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings

Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women

HOT

Washington and Lee (+5)

The Generals opened with a solid win over former No. 3 Franklin & Marshall to leap the Diplomats in the rankings.

Washington and Lee saw a 9-6 lead slip away in the fourth quarter when F&M rallied to tie the score with about seven minutes left, but junior attacker Allie Schwab pushed the Generals back in the lead with 11.9 seconds left. Sophomore defender Allie Doyle forced a turnover behind the goal to give the Generals possession with less than a minute remaining, and Katherine Faria ultimately fed Schwab the ball just outside the 12-meter arc to set up the winner.

Schwab finished with two goals, sophomore attacker Hanna Bishop led with three goals and one assist and Faria added two goals and one assist.

Christopher Newport (+2)

The Captains rolled to a 20-2 win over Virginia Wesleyan to open the season Friday.

Kelsey Winters tied a single-game program record with 12 points, including a career-high nine assists, which fell just one short of the program assists mark set by fellow single-game points leader Meghan Harkey in 2010.

Zoe Dyer had four goals, including the 100th of her career.

Messiah (+1) 

The Falcons were rewarded with a slight jump in the rankings after a 9-0 win over Scranton.

Eight different players scored, as Hope Flack (two goals) was the only multi-goal scorer, and Rachel Delate tallied a game-high four points while dishing out three assists to go along with a third-quarter goal.

Flack, Grace Gormley and Ehryn Groothoff each caused three turnovers, and goalkeepers Heather Burnham and Mackenzie O’Haver each had three saves to preserve the shutout while splitting time.

Gettysburg (+1)

Like Messiah, the Bullets moved up one spot following a solid 15-7 win over Stevenson in their opener.

Gettysburg jumped out to a 13-3 win in the second quarter and cruised to victory despite scoring just two more goals the rest of the way. Jordan Basso led with five goals and four ground balls, Katie Fullowan had three goals and seven draw controls, Sophie Smith and Maddie Seibel each recorded two goals and Shannon Twill made two saves.

McKenna Blick scored six goals to lead Stevenson, including the final four of the game.

No. 9 Gettysburg meets No. 8 Messiah on Wednesday.

NOT

Franklin & Marshall (-1)

The Diplomats weren’t punished much for their 10-9 loss to Washington & Lee. They held the Generals scoreless for the final 54 seconds of the third quarter and 14:49 of the fourth quarter, as they rallied from a 9-6 deficit before giving up the game-winner with 11.9 seconds left.

Marissa McGarrey led F&M with four goals, including two key scores during the fourth quarter and the game-tying strike with 6:51 remaining. Emily Kitchin made a game-high 11 saves.

Franklin & Marshall looks to bounce back Saturday at Misericordia to begin a three-game road stretch.

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• Preseason