Mount Olive Enters USA Lacrosse Division II Men's Top 20

When are crazy things going to stop happening in Florida?

Tampa remains on top of the Sunshine State Conference with wins against Saint Leo (16-7) and Seton Hill (14-9). Rollins has handled its business as well with a 13-6 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic. 

It’s that fourth spot that’s wild right now. Florida Tech (5-7 overall) is locked in at No. 3 with a 4-2 conference mark. The battle is on for the fourth spot, though, with Saint Leo, Embry-Riddle, Florida Southern and Lynn all locked at 2-4. It wouldn’t be Florida if there wasn’t a long line.

In the NE-10, it’s starting to look like a three-team race, as Adelphi, Saint Anselm and Pace are mashing their way to the top week after week. For now, Adelphi remains atop the league table at 7-0 after a win over Franklin Pierce. Pace kept up with a win over Saint Michael’s to get to 6-1, and Saint Anselm is just a game back at 5-1 following a win over Assumption. The best part of this love triangle? It’ll get solved on the field. Pace and Adelphi both have a game left against Saint Anselm, with Adelphi’s turn coming this weekend.

The SAC is still a consistent battleground that becomes interesting when the top teams play one another, but the separation between the top teams and the not-so-top teams is now evident. Case in point — the bare-knuckle brawl that was Limestone v. Wingate. The Saints won 17-14, but the Bulldogs showed they wouldn’t just capitulate to the No. 1 team in the country. They put together a respectable comeback after Limestone outscored them 6-2 in the third quarter, but the shots did not fall.

Division II teams are starting to sew their last stitches into the tapestry of their regular season schedules. So, next week's games will be absolutely pivotal to the playoff positioning, and the teams that need those wins to get into the last few spots of their conference will be even more dangerous than usual. 

There are no easy games left for anyone. They’re all building resumes now, and the only thing that will get teams noticed will be wins.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION II
MEN’S TOP 20

1. Limestone, 14-0 (Prev: 1)
2. Lenoir-Rhyne, 12-1 (Prev: 2)
3. Tampa, 14-1 (Prev: 3)
4. Adelphi, 10-2 (Prev: 4)
5. Mercy, 10-1 (Prev: 5)
6. Rollins, 11-2 (Prev: 6)
7. Saint Anselm, 7-1 (Prev: 8)
8. Pace, 10-1 (Prev: 9)
9. Wingate, 9-4 (Prev: 7)
10. Newberry, 10-3 (Prev: 10)
11. UIndy, 10-3 (Prev: 11)
12. Mercyhurst, 9-3 (Prev: 12)
13. Seton Hill, 7-4 (Prev: 13)
14. Frostburg State, 9-3 (Prev: 14)
15. Bentley, 6-4 (Prev: 16)
16. Rockhurst, 9-2 (Prev: 18)
17. Lewis, 10-3 (Prev: 20)
18. Florida Southern, 8-5 (Prev: 15)
19. Saint Leo, 8-5 (Prev: 19)
20. Mount Olive, 9-3 (Prev: NR)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Colorado Mesa, Embry-Riddle, Florida Tech, Maryville, Palm Beach Atlantic, Westminster

HOT

Mercy (no change)

A 16-12 win over Frostburg State gave Mercy its sixth straight win, with two of those victories coming against ranked opponents. Mercy has dropped just one game all year, a one-goal defeat against Adelphi, and is as under the radar as a 10-1 team could ever be.

While the teams down south are grabbing headlines, the boys from Dobbs Ferry just keep winning. Jason Kuehner remains a massive part of Mercy’s success and was a force in the win over Frostburg. Not only is he facing off at a 67-percent clip; he’s got eight points, with a key goal in seven games. Mess with the Mavericks at your own peril.  

NOT

Florida Southern (-3)

The Mocs opened Sunshine State play with a convincing win over Palm Beach Atlantic, but it’s been a rough ride since. They’ve lost four of their last five, all against conference opponents, dropping to 2-4 in conference play and 8-6 overall. They are currently part of a four-team logjam in their conference that includes Saint Leo, Embry-Riddle and Lynn.

Where teams get seeded is critical, as Tampa and Rollins are taking the top two spots. Florida Southern closes the regular season against Lynn, and the result could dictate when (or if) they see one of those two powerhouse teams in the playoffs.

IN

Mount Olive (No. 20)

Quick: Name a team in Division II that hasn't lost since February. Yes, Limestone’s a good guess, but also Mount Olive! The Trojans’ defeat of Belmont Abbey was their biggest of the year. The win streak, and some results ahead of them, vaults Mount Olive into the Top 20 for the first time this year.

OUT

Colorado Mesa (was No. 17)

The loss to Westminster has, unfortunately, knocked Colorado Mesa back down into the dregs of “also considered.” Back on March 24, Colorado Mesa won this matchup 13-12 and knocked Westminster from the ranking. This weekend, Westminster won the matchup 13-12 and will knock Colorado Mesa from the ranking. A level of balance even Thanos would be proud of.