Bates survived a pair of tests in its first week after ascending to the No. 1 spot in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Men's Top 20, improving to 12-0 and clinching the NESCAC regular-season crown in the process. A huge 19-18 victory over then-No. 3 Tufts was followed by a come-from-behind win over Connecticut College, setting a school record for victories.
No. 2 Salisbury and No. 5 York both advanced to the CAC final for a rematch of their April 12 showdown, a 17-10 Sea Gulls victory, while Denison continued to run through its midwestern schedule to improve to 13-1 at No. 4. Tufts fell out of the top five with its losses to both Bates and then Wesleyan this week, replaced at No. 3 by red-hot RIT.
At the other end of the table, Ursinus lost its spot with a loss to unranked Haverford, replaced by a Lynchburg team that has been on a tear through April.
April 24, 2017 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bates | 12-0 | 1 | 4/26 vs. Colby |
| 2 | Salisbury | 16-1 | 2 | 4/29 vs. No. 5 York |
| 3 | RIT | 12-2 | 6 | 4/29 vs. Bard |
| 4 | Denison | 13-1 | 4 | 4/26 vs. Wooster |
| 5 | York | 16-2 | 5 | 4/29 at No. 2 Salisbury |
| 6 | Cortland | 12-1 | 7 | 4/26 vs. Oswego |
| 7 | Wesleyan | 13-1 | 10 | 4/26 at Connecticut College |
| 8 | Tufts | 11-3 | 3 | 4/26 at Bowdoin |
| 9 | Cabrini | 11-3 | 8 | 4/26 vs. Gwynedd Mercy |
| 10 | St. Lawrence | 13-1 | 9 | 4/29 at Skidmore |
| 11 | Amherst | 11-3 | 11 | 4/26 at Trinity |
| 12 | Dickinson | 11-2 | 13 | 4/26 vs. No. 15 Franklin & Marshall |
| 13 | Ithaca | 11-3 | 12 | 4/26 vs. Elmira |
| 14 | Stevenson | 10-4 | 14 | 4/25 at No. 17 Stevens |
| 15 | Franklin & Marshall | 11-2 | 15 | 4/26 at No. 12 Dickinson |
| 16 | Gettysburg | 8-5 | 16 | 4/26 at McDaniel |
| 17 | Stevens | 12-3 | 17 | 4/25 vs. No. 14 Stevenson |
| 18 | Roanoke | 12-3 | 19 | 5/5 vs. ODAC Semifinal |
| 19 | Ohio Wesleyan | 9-5 | 20 | 4/26 vs. Wittenberg |
| 20 | Lynchburg | 10-5 | NR | 4/29 vs. Virginia Wesleyan |
Also considered: Aurora, Bowdoin, Catholic, Elizabethtown, Keene State, Rensselaer, Ursinus, Vassar
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Wesleyan (+3)
Junior Harry Stanton tied a school record with eight goals and senior Tom DuPont scored the game-winner with just 19 seconds remaining as the Cardinals knocked off Tufts in a huge NESCAC contest and improved to 13-1 on the year. The only team to have gotten the better of Wesleyan this spring is No. 1 Bates.
RIT (+3)
A victory over Ithaca this week and a resume that includes wins over six current top 20 teams earned the Tigers a jump into the No. 3 spot this week, replacing Tufts in the top five. RIT has won seven straight since an upset loss to Clarkson on March 25.
NOT
Tufts (-5)
Three straight losses drop the Jumbos out of the top five this week, with Bates and Wesleyan each earning one-goal victories to move to the front of the pack in the race for NESCAC seeding. Tufts has a tough regular season closer against Bowdoin before it can worry about who it plays in the league tournament.
NEW
Lynchburg
The Hornets are on a roll, winners of six straight since the calendar flipped to April, a run which opened with a victory over now-No.18 Roanoke. They have one regular season contest remaining against Virginia Wesleyan, and will look to the ODAC tournament to solidify their resume.
OUT
Ursinus
A loss to unranked Haverford, and the fact that they don't have a win against any team currently ranked in the top 20, leaves the Bears on the outs this week.