Top 3 Solidifies in Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20

There’s the old cliché: You’re only as good as your last game. I have to be honest. I had a pretty bad taste in my mouth regarding Syracuse’s final game of the 2022 season — a 15-4 blowout at Northwestern in the quarterfinals — when sorting out preseason rankings. So, I put Syracuse on the outside of the top five looking in at No. 6.

But if the first two games were any indication, the Orange have turned the page in a big way. After downing Northwestern in week one, Syracuse poured in 20 goals on Maryland’s touted defense that includes the 2022 Big Ten and Ivy League defenders of the year in Abby Bosco and Marge Donovan, respectively. The 20-11 win was Syracuse’s first at home against Maryland in program history.

The win catapulted Syracuse, ranked No. 6 to start the season and No. 4 last week, to No. 2. Maryland drops to No. 6.

Speaking of only being as good as your last game, Northwestern is also making moves this week. After being on the short end of a back-and-forth affair at Syracuse opening weekend, the Wildcats beat Notre Dame on Thursday before rallying from a four-goal halftime deficit to beat Boston College on Sunday. Izzy Scane scored four times, including the game-tying goal, in a follow to her 10-goal effort against the Irish. Lacrosse is more fun with Scane dominating it. BC slips one spot to No. 4.

Say what you want about all the talent North Carolina lost. Through the first three games, the still-No. 1 Heels have looked steady, including in Saturday’s 12-5 win over Florida. UNC has won 43-straight regular-season games, the third-longest streak in NCAA history.

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION I WOMEN’S TOP 20

Also considered (alphabetical order): Arizona State (1-0), Hofstra (2-0), Johns Hopkins (1-1), UMass (1-1), Ohio State (3-1), Temple (2-1), Yale (1-0)

Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings

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

HOT

Syracuse (+2)

Two top-five wins in as many games is a good recipe to become the No. 2 team in the land. Meaghan Tyrrell looked every bit like the nation’s top player, scoring six goals with five assists despite drawing Abby Bosco. Delaney Sweitzer, who played second-fiddle to Kimber Hower last season, once again saw the entire 60 minutes in net and stopped 13 of the 23 shots she faced (.565). I have a feeling I’ll be repeating the line, “If the Orange stay healthy…” a bit this season.

Northwestern (+3)

The Wildcats rebounded strong from their opening-weekend loss to Syracuse. A win over top-15 Notre Dame behind 12 points from Izzy Scane was one thing. But the Wildcats put the lacrosse world on notice with Sunday afternoon’s rally to beat Boston College. It’s not just The Scane Show in Evanston. Dylan Amonte scored five goals and gave Northwestern its first lead of the game with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter.

North Carolina (no change)

Florida pushed the defending champs in the third quarter, but UNC mostly looked deep and dominant in a 12-5 win. Junior Reilly Casey, who scored four goals in 11 games last season, already has nine goals and seven assists for a team-high 16 points. She netted a hat trick against the Gators. Freshman Marissa White (8 G, 1 A) has also impressed through three games, and Caitlyn Wurzburger (7 G, 6 A) is — not surprisingly — a major factor.

Stony Brook (no change)

The 17-10 final doesn’t really showcase just how dominant the Seawolves looked against Michigan Friday night at LaValle Stadium. The Wolverines scored five in the fourth quarter with the game put away. Jaden Hampel (5 G, 1 A), Kailyn Hart (2 G, 4 A) and Ellie Masera (4 G, 7 DC) looked sharp. Stony Brook’s zone defense made grad transfer Hailey Duchnowski’s debut low-key — the former LIU netminder only saw nine shots, stopping four. Stony Brook would have moved up had Northwestern lost Sunday.

NOT

Maryland (-4)

I’m really not into hot takes or Monday-morning overreactions. I don’t doubt that Maryland can bounce back, starting next weekend against a Florida team also looking to rebound. But the Terps struggled all over the field on Friday. They outshot Syracuse 31-29 (but only put 24 on goal compared to the Orange’s 26 shots on goal. And, most importantly, only put 11 goals in the net). Syracuse also won the draw (18-16) and ground balls (13-10). All in all, an effort the Terps would likely prefer to forget — or learn from.

Princeton (-3)

Virginia’s experienced offense had its way with the Tigers in Jenn Cook’s debut as a head coach, which ended in a 19-8 Princeton loss. Without star goalie Sam Fish and defender Marge Donovan, Princeton’s defense struggled to find answers for Rachel Clark (six goals) or Ashlyn McGovern (five goals). Offensively, Princeton shot 8-for-22. Sophomore Nina Montes served as a lone bright spot for the Tigers with a hat trick and an assist.  

IN

Louisville (No. 19)

Louisville’s 14-7 win over Division I rookie Lindenwood Sunday wasn’t a head-turner. But the Cardinals’ close call against a top-10 team in Denver and win over Colorado were. Those games, combined with some lopsided losses in the rest of the Top 20, earn the Cardinals the No. 19 spot in this week’s rankings. No. 10 Virginia will be another tough test on Saturday.

OUT

Johns Hopkins (was No. 20)

Johns Hopkins pushed Loyola in the Battle of Charles Street but lost to a Greyhounds team playing for the first time without Livy Rosenzweig, Sam Fiedler and Kaitlyn Larsson. 

PREVIOUS RANKINGS

• Preseason

• Week 1: Feb. 13, 2023