A massive week of Division III men’s lacrosse delivered with a top five midweek matchup and more parity toward the back half of the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20.
There was also some more shuffling in the NESCAC standings, and Lynchburg closed out its non-conference season with a loss to Tufts but rebounded with a conference win.
The week got off to a fiery start when the defending champs nearly suffered their first loss of the season. St. John Fisher tried to piece together a comeback in the final minutes of play, but fell short by just one goal against RIT.
Only two undefeated teams remain in the NESCAC after Bowdoin won 16-10 against Wesleyan. The win moves the Polar Bears into first place in the conference and inside the top 15.
Teams are starting to settle into their conference seasons as the calendar turns to April. There are plenty of pivotal matchups next week, including Gettysburg with a chance to upset Franklin & Marshall and Tufts taking on another ranked opponent in Union.
NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III MEN’S TOP 20
March 28, 2022 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Salisbury |
10-0 |
1 |
3/30 vs. No. 16 Stevenson |
|
2 |
RIT |
8-0 |
2 |
3/30 vs. SUNY Cortland |
|
3 |
Tufts |
6-0 |
3 |
3/29 vs. No. 9 Union |
|
4 |
Christopher Newport |
11-0 |
4 |
3/30 vs. No. 20 Williams |
|
5 |
York |
5-2 |
6 |
3/30 vs. Alvernia |
|
6 |
St. John Fisher |
6-1 |
5 |
3/30 vs. SUNY Geneseo |
|
7 |
Dickinson |
8-0 |
7 |
3/30 vs. McDaniel |
|
8 |
Franklin & Marshall |
8-1 |
8 |
3/30 vs. No. 12 Gettysburg |
|
9 |
Union |
7-0 |
10 |
3/29 at No. 3 Tufts |
|
10 |
Lynchburg |
6-3 |
9 |
4/2 vs. Washington & Lee |
|
11 |
Cabrini |
6-2 |
14 |
3/30 at Central |
|
12 |
Gettysburg |
6-3 |
15 |
3/30 vs. No. 8 Franklin & Marshall |
|
13 |
Bowdoin |
7-0 |
NR |
3/30 at Babson |
|
14 |
Amherst |
3-3 |
11 |
3/29 at Western New England |
|
15 |
Wesleyan |
5-2 |
12 |
4/2 at Hamilton |
|
16 |
Stevenson |
4-3 |
16 |
3/30 at No. 1 Salisbury |
|
17 |
Ithaca |
8-1 |
17 |
4/2 vs. No. 18 St. Lawrence |
|
18 |
St. Lawrence |
5-2 |
18 |
4/2 at No. 17 Ithaca |
|
19 |
Denison |
5-3 |
NR |
3/30 at Grove City |
|
20 |
Williams |
4-2 |
NR |
3/30 at No. 4 Christopher Newport |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Catholic (5-3), Colby (2-3), Grove City (5-4), John Carroll (7-1), Rensselaer (8-1), Ursinus (3-4), Washington and Lee (5-5)
Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
York (+4)
Winners of three straight, the Spartans are beginning to hit their stride. After starting the season 2-2, the Spartans have started to pour on the goals. They closed last week with a 17-6 win over Elizabethtown and were led defensively by Ryan Kennedy, who had a season-high five caused turnovers.
NOT
Wesleyan (-3)
After losing to Colby last week, it looked like Wesleyan was back on the right track with a 23-6 win at Coast Guard. But the Cardinals fell to Bowdoin the following game 16-10. They turned the ball over 21 times, went 16-for-25 on clears and got beat 43-29 in ground balls.
IN
Bowdoin (No. 13)
The Polar Bears burst onto the scene with a 16-10 road win against Wesleyan. It solidified their status as a Top 20 team after winning their previous six games. They’re 7-0 for the first time since 1989.
Denison (No. 19)
After losing three straight, Denison is back in the Top 20 with wins over John Carroll and Wabash. Two of Denison’s three losses have been decided by one goal, and all three are against ranked teams.
Williams (No. 20)
Williams is riding a three-game winning streak and also handed Rensselaer its first loss of the season. A road game against Christopher Newport presents a hefty challenge for the Ephs, and they close next week with another conference tilt at Bates.
OUT
Colby (was No. 19)
Colby followed a 10-9 win against Wesleyan with two straight losses against Williams and Hamilton. Colby ran into a brick wall in Seamuss Fagan against Hamilton. The junior had an impressive 24 saves, allowing Colby to only score two goals.
RPI (was No. 20)
A perfect start came to an end after Rensselaer dropped its first game to Williams. It were able to bounce back with a win against Skidmore and are on the fringes of the Top 20.
John Carroll (was No. 13)
John Carroll won its first six games before being held to just five goals against Denison. The Blue Streaks were only 4-for-17 on faceoffs in the loss. They were able to bounce back with a win against Marietta, but remain just outside the Top 20.