Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Unbeaten Union keeps racking up big wins.
The Dutchmen, ranked No. 3 in the latest Nike/USA Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20, defeated No. 6 St. John Fisher 13-12 on Wednesday to improve to 10-0. Sophomore goalie Dan Donahue made 23 saves, the most by a Union goalie in nearly 17 years.
The win, Union's fourth over a nationally ranked team so far this season, continues the best start to a season in program history. Next up: No. 4 RIT, the defending NCAA champion. They play Saturday.
2. Hofstra won a key CAA game at Delaware and Johns Hopkins edged Towson in overtime in women’s lacrosse action Wednesday.
3. Grace and Mary Griffin were this week’s guests on “The Stick Drop” with Sheehan Stanwick Burch. The USA Lacrosse Magazine-produced podcast dropped Wednesday.
Grace Griffin stars for Maryland, while Mary Griffin made an inspiring comeback from cancer with Virginia Tech. Listen on Apple and Spotify.
4. Too early to talk Elite Eight? Not in Taylor Cummings’ world. The U.S. national team and Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse pro projects who will advance in this week’s “Taylor’s Takes.”
5. The nationally televised GEICO High School Lacrosse Showcase will feature a powerhouse lineup. The April 22 event at St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) includes the top three teams in the current Nike/USA Lacrosse High School Boys’ National Top 25.
No. 13 Garden City (N.Y.) plays No. 3 Mount Sinai (N.Y.), followed by what could be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown between St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and St. John’s (D.C.). Both games are on ESPNU.
6. The HBCU lacrosse community just grew by two.
Virginia State announced Wednesday it would add men’s and women’s lacrosse teams to its lineup of NCAA Division II sports, effective immediately.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Inside Lacrosse’s powerful story of perseverance on Endicott’s Will Levine, who beat cancer twice and recently returned to the field.
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Why backup goalies matter, an IWLCA “Behind the Whistle” post by Niagara assistant Amy Martin.
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The latest out of the MCLA, including Division I and Division II weekly polls and USA Lacrosse/MCLA Players of the Month.
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Charlotte Varnes’ story on Mercer’s Hailey Rhatigan, one of the top scorers in the country and a big reason the 6-3 Bears are having their best start since 2017.
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About the shortage of boys’ lacrosse officials in Western Pennsylvania, with many refusing to work varsity games unless given a pay raise to $90 per game.
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How a food-shaming incident led to the resignation of the head girls’ lacrosse coach and an assistant at Ponte Vedra (Fla.).
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How Brophy Prep (Ariz.) became a boys’ lacrosse powerhouse despite Arizona not sanctioning the sport.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Marist lost 18-7 to No. 3 Princeton on Tuesday, but the enduring highlight making additional rounds on social media Wednesday was that of Red Foxes long-stick midfielder JT Roselle spinning through a double-team and scoring backhanded. Sheesh.
PURE INSANITY TO DO THIS WITH A LONG POLE
— TLN (@LacrosseNetwork) April 6, 2022
pic.twitter.com/PE6mK3L6of
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Our April edition cover story on the rise of Jacksonville lacrosse, just in time for the Dolphins’ top-20 encounter with SoCon rival Richmond — a team they have never defeated.
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A story about Jake Taylor’s emergence — with an eight-goal performance seemingly out of nowhere — for the resurgent Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team.
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More news and notes from around Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse.