The first weekend in March brought with it the first regular-season games for many teams in the North, putting a merciful end to talking season.
Each playing at home, the Top 20’s top three got underway in convincing fashion: No. 1 Middlebury over Connecticut College, 19-4, No. 2 Cortland over Clarkson, 17-5, and No. 3 Trinity over Williams, 12-6. TCNJ, Gettysburg and Brockport also cruised to keep the top six the same as last week.
NESCAC life struck early for previous-No. 7 Amherst and previous-No. 13 Bates. Each fell on the road in overtime to unranked league rivals Bowdoin and Wesleyan, respectively.
No. 8 St. John Fisher, the last of the original Top 20 to open its season, does so today at home against Roanoke. This week includes several Top 20 matchups both within and outside of league play that could have lasting implications as we’re about two months from NCAA tournament selections.
Mar 6, 2017 |
W/L |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middlebury | 1-0 | 1 | 3/8 at St. Lawrence |
| 2 | Cortland | 1-0 | 2 | 3/7 vs. Union |
| 3 | Trinity | 1-0 | 3 | 3/7 vs. Springfield |
| 4 | TCNJ | 2-0 | 4 | 3/7 vs. Cabrini |
| 5 | Gettysburg | 3-0 | 5 | 3/11 vs. No. 11 Washington and Lee |
| 6 | Brockport | 2-0 | 6 | 3/8 at. Nazareth |
| 7 | Hamilton | 1-0 | 8 | 3/8 vs. No. 12 William Smith |
| 8 | St. John Fisher | 0-0 | 9 | 3/6 vs. Roanoke |
| 9 | Catholic | 2-0 | 11 | 3/8 vs. Christopher Newport (in Wilmington, N.C.) |
| 10 | Tufts | 1-0 | 12 | 3/11 at No. 1 Middlebury |
| 11 | Washington and Lee | 4-0 | 16 | 3/11 at No. 5 Gettysburg |
| 12 | William Smith | 1-0 | 15 | 3/8 at No. 7 Hamilton |
| 13 | Ithaca | 2-0 | 18 | 3/8 vs. Hartwick |
| 14 | Franklin & Marshall | 1-1 | NR | 3/11 at No. 2 Cortland |
| 15 | Bowdoin | 1-0 | NR | 3/7 at New England |
| 16 | Wesleyan | 1-0 | 13 | 3/8 vs. Fredonia |
| 17 | York | 2-1 | 14 | 3/8 at No. 20 Messiah |
| 18 | Colby | 0-1 | 10 | 3/7 at Endicott |
| 19 | Salisbury | 2-2 | 19 | 3/8 at Rowan |
| 20 | Messiah | 2-1 | NR | 3/8 vs. No. 17 York |
Also Considered: Amherst, Bates, Mary Washington, Marymount, St. Mary’s, Rhodes
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Washington and Lee (+5)
The Generals improved to 3-0 vs. Top 20 teams and 4-0 overall following their 6-5 win over No. 19 Salisbury in Lexington, Va. Washington and Lee broke a 3-3 second-half tie with a 3-0 run (two goals from Hayley Soutter) and then held off the Sea Gulls late. The Generals get another ranked foe this week, No. 5 Gettysburg Saturday, except this time they hit the road.
NOT
York (-3)
Tough to penalize the Spartans much following their 8-7 overtime loss at Franklin & Marshall Saturday. York had a 6-4 second-half lead and a 13-4 advantage on draw controls for the game. Eighteen turnovers and a yellow card in the extra frame doomed the Spartans, however, who next travel to No. 20 Messiah.
NEW
Bowdoin
The Polar Bears knocked out then-No. 7 Amherst in overtime, 7-6, to open the season. Kayli Weiss made 14 saves against the Lord Jeffs’ 25 shots. Annie Glenn tallied the game-winner for Bowdoin, which will look to avoid the upset bug tomorrow at New England.
Wesleyan
The Cardinals out-played then-No. 13 Bates for much of their season-opener Sunday (previously scheduled for Saturday), taking an 8-4 lead six minutes into the second half. The Bobcats rallied and forced overtime on a goal with 17 seconds remaining in regulation. But Abigail Horst preserved the upset for the Cardinals, scoring with about a minute remaining in overtime. This came after Grace McCann largely kept Bates at bay with 13 saves.
OUT
Amherst
The Lord Jeffs fell to unranked league rival Bowdoin, 7-6 in overtime, on the road. Amherst travels to winless Keene State Wednesday before returning to league play at home Saturday against Bates.
Bates
The Bobcats pounded Wellesley last week before being out-played for most of their overtime loss at Wesleyan Sunday. They continue a three-game road trip Wednesday at Babson and Saturday at NESCAC rival Amherst.
Mary Washington
The Eagles drop out after a week at No. 20 with their 7-6 defeat to Messiah.