The top seven teams from a week ago held strong through their final regular-season and/or first conference tournament games to remain unchanged in this week's Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.
No. 1 Amherst squeezed by then-No. 8 Trinity, 10-9, Wednesday on the road in a game illustrative of the NESCAC’s competitiveness. The Bantams fell to No. 10. No. 3 Middlebury is hosting the league semifinals and final Saturday and Sunday, and the host Panthers will take on Trinity. The Mammoths play No. 14 Bowdoin, which lost its regular-season finale to then-No. 12 Tufts and beat then-No. 15 Wesleyan in a quarterfinal by identical 11-10 scores.
No. 2 TCNJ, No. 3 Middlebury, and No. 4 Salisbury finished their regular seasons with convincing road victories. No. 5 York, No. 6 Gettysburg and No. 7 Mary Washington also won to hold onto their respective positions. Washington & Lee and Franklin & Marshall moved up to Nos. 8 and 9, respectively.
Conference tournament structure varies considerably from league to league. Wednesday represents an active day on the schedule, including some first-round games and some semifinals. Sunday represents the final day of play, and the NCAA will announce the field for its championship tournament at 10 p.m. ET.
April 30, 2018 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amherst | 15-1 | 1 | 5/5 vs. No. 14 Bowdoin |
| 2 | TCNJ | 15-2 | 2 | 5/2 vs. Kean |
| 3 | Middlebury | 13-2 | 3 | 5/5 vs. No. 10 Trinity |
| 4 | Salisbury | 16-1 | 4 | 5/2 vs. Christopher Newport |
| 5 | York | 13-3 | 5 | 5/2 vs. No. 7 Mary Washington |
| 6 | Gettysburg | 13-2 | 6 | 5/5 vs. Washington College |
| 7 | Mary Washington | 14-3 | 7 | 5/5 at No. 5 York |
| 8 | Washington & Lee | 13-4 | 9 | 5/5 vs. TBD |
| 9 | Franklin & Marshall | 15-3 | 10 | 5/5 vs. TBD |
| 10 | Trinity | 11-5 | 8 | 5/5 at No. 3 Middlebury |
| 11 | St. John Fisher | 15-2 | 11 | 5/5 vs. Nazareth |
| 12 | Cortland | 13-4 | 13 | 5/4 vs. TBD |
| 13 | William Smith | 12-4 | 16 | 5/5 vs. TBD |
| 14 | Bowdoin | 12-4 | 14 | 5/5 vs. No. 1 Amherst |
| 15 | Tufts | 11-4 | 12 | Regular season complete |
| 16 | Geneseo | 13-3 | 18 | 5/4 vs. TBD |
| 17 | Ithaca | 13-4 | 17 | 5/5 vs. TBAD |
| 18 | Rowan | 14-2 | 20 | 5/2 vs. Montclair State |
| 19 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps | 17-1 | 19 | 5/5 vs. Pomona-Pitzer |
| 20 | Stevens | 13-4 | NR | 5/5 vs, Utica |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Catholic, Clarkson, Colorado College, Framingham State, Haverford, Messiah, Mount Union, Nazareth, Washington College, Wesleyan
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
William Smith (+3)
The Herons have won nine of their last 10 games to earn a first-round bye in the Liberty League tournament, for which they'll host the semifinals and finals this weekend. Only a loss at pesky Clarkson, which garners consideration for the top 20 this week, marred the run. William Smith hasn't allowed an opponent to score in double digits since Salisbury did in a 12-8 defeat of the Herons March 19 in Bradenton, Fla.
NOT
Tufts (-3)
The Jumbos have lost two of three, and they could not put home-field advantage to use in a 12-10 NESCAC quarterfinal loss Saturday against Trinity.
IN
Stevens
The Ducks clinched the Empire 8 regular-season championship in convincing fashion last week. They’ll host Utica Saturday in a league semifinal.
OUT
Wesleyan
The Cardinals challenged Bowdoin on the road Saturday in a NESCAC quarterfinal before falling, 11-10. After a 6-1 start, Wesleyan concludes its regular season with a 10-6 mark and out of the top 20.