There were no changes among the top 11 teams in this week’s Nike/US Lacrosse Division II Women’s Top 20, but that’s unlikely to be the case seven days from now with a schedule full of monster matchups ahead. Seven of the top eight in the poll will play each other this week.
The Sunshine State Conference Tournament, beginning Friday, features a four-team field, including three squads ranked among the top eight. The semifinal pairings feature tournament host No. 4 Florida Southern against No. 8 Rollins, and No. 5 Florida Tech against No. 16 Tampa.
It’s the final week of the regular season in almost every conference, and there’s no bigger game than the clash between No. 2 Adelphi and No. 3 Le Moyne in the Northeast 10 on Wednesday. The winner will secure the top seed and home field advantage throughout next week’s conference tournament.
The biggest non-conference game this week is also on Wednesday, as No. 1 Lindenwood ends a 10-day layoff with a visit to No. 7 LIU Post. Lions’ head coach Jack Cribbin scheduled the game as part of his hometown philosophy; an attempt to play at least one road game close to the home of every recruit before she graduates. Wednesday’s trip to Long Island is homecoming for senior attacker Cassie Stucklen, a native of Bayport.
Three days after hosting the No. 1 team, LIU Post welcomes No. 11 East Stroudsburg in another big non-conference game to close out the regular season.
April 23, 2018 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lindenwood | 15-0 | 1 | 4/25 at No. 7 LIU Post |
| 2 | Adelphi | 14-1 | 2 | 4/25 vs. No. 3 Le Moyne |
| 3 | Le Moyne | 15-0 | 3 | 4/25 at No. 2 Adelphi |
| 4 | Florida Southern | 17-1 | 4 | 4/27 vs. No. 8 Rollins (SSC Tournament) |
| 5 | Florida Tech | 15-1 | 5 | 4/27 vs. No. 16 Tampa (SSC Tournament) |
| 6 | West Chester | 15-0 | 6 | 4/25 at Millersville |
| 7 | LIU Post | 12-3 | 7 | 4/25 vs. No. 1 Lindenwood |
| 8 | Rollins | 14-3 | 8 | 4/27 vs. No. 4 Fla. Southern (SSC Tournament) |
| 9 | Limestone | 13-2 | 9 | 4/25 vs. Erskine (CC Tournament) |
| 10 | Mercy | 12-2 | 10 | 4/25 vs. Bridgeport |
| 11 | East Stroudsburg | 11-2 | 11 | 4/25 at Bloomsburg |
| 12 | Regis | 13-3 | 13 | 4/29 at CSU-Pueblo |
| 13 | NYIT | 11-4 | 12 | 4/25 at Queens (N.Y.) |
| 14 | Indianapolis | 12-3 | 14 | 4/27 at Northern Michigan |
| 15 | Grand Valley State | 12-4 | 16 | 4/27 at Davenport |
| 16 | Tampa | 12-5 | 17 | 4/27 vs. Fla. Tech (SSC Tournament) |
| 17 | Colorado Mesa | 10-3 | 15 | 4/27 vs. Adams State |
| 18 | Pace | 11-4 | 19 | 4/25 at St. Anselm |
| 19 | Mount Olive | 13-4 | NR | 4/25 vs. Barton (CC Tournament) |
| 20 | Slippery Rock | 11-4 | 18 | 4/25 vs. Gannon |
Also considered: Mercyhurst, Merrimack, St. Leo
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Regis (+1)
The Rangers have won 10 of their last 11 games, with the only loss in that time coming against No. 1 Lindenwood. Regis is likely to enter the RMAC Tournament as the number two seed, as it did last year when it upset Lindenwood in the championship game.
Tampa (+1)
The Spartans enter the SSC Tournament with a modest three-game winning streak, but their only losses in the last month have come in-conference against No. 4 Florida Southern and No. 5 Florida Tech, and out-of-conference against No. 13 NYIT.
NOT
Colorado Mesa (-2)
CMU provided little challenge against No. 12 Regis last week, falling behind early and never closing the gap in a 19-7 loss. The Mavericks hurt themselves with 27 turnovers.
Slippery Rock (-2)
Aside from West Chester and East Stroudsburg, nobody else appears to be able to break away from the pack in the PSAC. Slippery Rock had won five straight to build some momentum, but lost at home to Mercyhurst last week to fall into a three-way tie for fourth place.
IN
Mount Olive
The Trojans have been among the teams also considered for the poll for much of the season, and finally crack the Top 20 having won four of their last five. Mount Olive is the No. 2 seed for this week’s Conference Carolinas Tournament.
OUT
St. Leo (previously No. 20)
The Lions enjoyed the best season in their seven-year history, and stood at 11-2 at one point. But they finished the year with four straight losses during a brutal stretch run against the SSC’s best teams, all ranked in the Top 20.