While some teams already finished with their abbreviated spring schedules, others are approaching the finish line — and there might not be another team sprinting toward the finish quite like Boston College.
Outside of an understandable hiccup against North Carolina on March 6, the Eagles have been nearly untouchable. They proved that again this past weekend by hosting Notre Dame and beating the Irish handily — twice. Neither game was particularly close, as the Eagles offense continually dissected a Notre Dame defense that was coming off a game in which it allowed just 11 goals to UNC.
The rain could have been a factor in that UNC contest, but Notre Dame was coming off something of a high after how closely it played the consensus top team in the country. That didn’t matter to Boston College, as Charlotte North totaled 10 goals and 21 draw controls in the two victories.
Next up for BC is a two-game slate against Syracuse — another late-season test for a BC team that’s peaking at the right time.
Nike / US Lacrosse
Division I Women’s Top 20
April 19, 2021 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 14-0 | 1 | 4/23 at No. 7 Duke |
| 2 | Northwestern | 11-0 | 2 | TBD |
| 3 | Syracuse | 11-1 | 3 | 4/22 vs. No. 4 Boston College |
| 4 | Boston College | 11-1 | 5 | 4/22 at No. 3 Syracuse |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 6-5 | 4 | 4/21 vs. Virginia Tech |
| 6 | Stony Brook | 9-2 | 6 | 4/24 at Albany |
| 7 | Duke | 9-5 | 8 | 4/23 vs. No. 1 North Carolina |
| 8 | Virginia | 8-6 | 7 | 4/24 vs. Virginia Tech |
| 9 | Jacksonville | 6-0 | 9 | 4/23 vs. Coastal Carolina |
| 10 | Florida | 11-2 | 10 | 4/23 at Old Dominion |
| 11 | Loyola | 8-2 | 11 | TBD |
| 12 | Richmond | 8-1 | 13 | 4/23 vs. Davidson |
| 13 | Drexel | 11-1 | 15 | 4/23 vs. Towson |
| 14 | Maryland | 7-5 | 12 | TBD |
| 15 | Johns Hopkins | 5-5 | 14 | 4/22 at No. 20 Michigan |
| 16 | Stanford | 8-0 | 17 | 4/24 at Cal |
| 17 | Rutgers | 5-7 | NR | TBD |
| 18 | Penn State | 4-8 | 16 | TBD |
| 19 | Denver | 10-1 | NR | 4/23 vs. Villanova |
| 20 | Michigan | 3-6 | 18 | 4/22 vs. No. 15 Johns Hopkins |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Colorado, Ohio State, Temple, Towson, UMass
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
Drexel (+2)
The Dragons sit firmly atop the CAA, and they continue to reinforce their might with each passing week. A loss to Loyola is the only blemish on their resume, and that will likely prevent them from climbing much higher, at least for now. The Drexel offense, led by the trio of Karson Harris, Lucy Schneidereith and Colleen Grady, can run with just about anyone. The big question lies in a defense that has yet to be tested by one of the country’s juggernaut offenses.
Boston College (+1)
No team is on fire quite like Boston College, which is peaking at the right time. Since losing to UNC, the Eagles have beaten Virginia, Louisville (twice), Duke, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame (twice), all teams that have found themselves in the Top 20 at some point during the 2021 season. The success has been because of more than just North, as Rachel Hall has stepped up in the cage and an offense featuring Cara Urbank, Jenn Medjid, Belle Smith and others has continued to round into form.
NOT
Maryland (-2)
After falling three spots last week, Maryland falls two more this week. The Terps ended the regular season by losing two of three, but they’re still second in the Big Ten standings behind Northwestern, which is why they’re the highest ranked of the rest of the Big Ten. In Sunday’s 16-14 loss to Rutgers, the Terps were mostly outplayed, outside of a few lapses by Rutgers.
Virginia (-1)
Virginia falls one spot after getting throttled by North Carolina 15-4. Virginia has lost four straight, but all against North Carolina, Syracuse or Notre Dame. That’s why the Cavaliers aren’t being penalized even more for this rough stretch, and a regular-season finale against Virginia Tech offers them a chance to right the ship — or possibly fall further — as the postseason approaches.
IN
Rutgers (No. 17)
It’s been a season of firsts for Rutgers and second-year coach Melissa Lehman. The Scarlet Knights have earned their first-ever wins against Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Maryland, and their five wins in the Big Ten are the most since they joined the conference. In a conference tournament that should be incredibly interesting, Rutgers could play spoiler.
Denver (No. 19)
Denver has 10 straight wins since opening the season with a loss to Colorado, and perhaps the Pios could have re-joined the Top 20 sooner. Their win over Arizona State has grown in value over time, and beating UConn twice certainly holds a bit of weight. An April 29 date against Colorado gives Denver the chance to end its regular season with a bit of revenge.
OUT
Towson (was No. 19)
Towson has lost two straight. The Tigers were handled easily by Drexel and then outlasted by James Madison, though it was nice to see Towson come alive late in the second half of Sunday’s 14-12 loss to the Dukes. The Tigers were the darlings of the early season, starting 4-0 with an impressive win over Loyola. But they’re 4-4 since, and they have to play Drexel again next.
Ohio State (was No. 20)
Ohio State falls out through no fault of its own. Even though the Buckeyes beat Penn State and Michigan twice each, they don’t have important wins against Maryland, Johns Hopkins or resurgent Rutgers. Every Big Ten team makes the conference’s postseason tournament, so Ohio State could very easily make waves once that begins.