HOT
Bates (+3)
With victories over a ranked Bowdoin team and an always-dangerous (even if sub-.500) Middleburg squad this week, the Bobcats demonstrated they’re in the NESCAC title and NCAA tournament hunt for real. Led by high-scoring midfielders Charlie Fay (35G, 12A) and Kyle Weber (34,10), Bates is averaging over 16 goals per game.
Wesleyan (+3)
On a nine game win streak following their season-opening loss to Bates, the Cardinals are also right in the NESCAC mix. This week, they dispatched then-No. 13 Amherst, breaking what had been a tight game open with a 4-0 run out of the halftime break and then a 3-0 run in the fourth to put things away for good.
NOT
Cortland (-4)
A big jump last week for the Red Dragons, only to see a big fall this week after a loss to RIT.
The loss was closer for most of the contest than the final 15-9 score would indicate - Jimmy Nielsen’s score off a Tyler Brown feed early in the fourth knotted the score at nine, but RIT scored six straight to close the contest.
NEW
Vassar
A game-winning goal with just four seconds left by freshman Michael Mullen against Clarkson paved the way for Vassar’s debut in the Top 20 this week. At 9-2, the Brewers have already tied their school record for victories in a season. The road gets no easier coming up, as St. Lawrence and RIT are both on the slate in the next two weeks.
OUT
Gettysburg
A loss to unranked Swarthmore leaves the Bullets at just 6-5, and with only one win against a ranked team (Ursinus) on their resume. Up next is Dickinson which could provide a huge chance for redemption and a path right back into the table.