It was the most unusual week of the season as victories up and down the ranking yielded only one small change at the bottom of the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.
The top 18 teams posted a combined record of 33-0 last week, making a strong sprint to the regular season finish line. Lots of great match-ups are now on the slate as conference tournaments take center stage this week.
The NESCAC Tournament is one of the week’s headliners, with its four semifinalists all ranked among the top nine teams in the country. No. 1 Middlebury puts its 15-game winning streak on the line against No. 9 Amherst in one semifinal, while No. 4 Tufts faces No. 6 Wesleyan in the other.
Two-time defending national champion Gettysburg is the number two seed in the Centennial Tournament, facing Washington College in the semifinal round Wednesday. No. 7 Franklin & Marshall handed the Bullets their only loss this season and garnered the league’s top seed. F&M faces the winner of the Dickinson-Swarthmore opening round game.
No. 3 Washington & Lee is the top seed in the ODAC Tournament. The General carry a 12-game winning streak into Saturday’s ODAC semifinal. No. 5 Salisbury is the number one seed in the CAC Tournament, which also includes No. 11 York and No. 12 Mary Washington.
Nike/US Lacrosse
Division III Women’s Top 20
April 29, 2019 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middlebury | 15-1 | 1 | 5/4 vs. No. 9 Amherst |
| 2 | Gettysburg | 15-1 | 2 | 5/1 vs. Washington College |
| 3 | Washington & Lee | 15-2 | 3 | 5/4 vs. ODAC semifinal |
| 4 | Tufts | 15-1 | 4 | 5/4 vs. No. 6 Wesleyan |
| 5 | Salisbury | 15-2 | 5 | 4/30 vs. Christopher Newport |
| 6 | Wesleyan | 14-2 | 6 | 5/4 vs. No. 4 Tufts |
| 7 | Franklin & Marshall | 14-3 | 7 | 5/1 vs. Centennial semifinal |
| 8 | St. John Fisher | 16-1 | 8 | 5/4 vs. Nazareth |
| 9 | Amherst | 12-4 | 9 | 5/4 at No. 1 Middlebury |
| 10 | William Smith | 15-2 | 10 | 5/4 vs. Liberty semifinal |
| 11 | York | 13-5 | 11 | 4/30 vs. No. 12 Mary Washington |
| 12 | Mary Washington | 15-3 | 12 | 4/30 vs. No. 11 York |
| 13 | Catholic | 13-4 | 13 | 5/1 vs. Drew |
| 14 | TCNJ | 11-5 | 14 | 5/1 vs. Kean |
| 15 | Geneseo | 13-4 | 15 | 5/3 vs. SUNYAC semifinal |
| 16 | Colorado College | 17-1 | 16 | Regular season complete |
| 17 | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps | 14-2 | 17 | 5/1 vs. Chapman |
| 18 | Scranton | 15-2 | 18 | 5/1 vs. Moravian |
| 19 | Cortland | 11-5 | NR | 5/3 vs. SUNYAC semifinal |
| 20 | Brockport | 12-4 | 19 | 5/1 vs. New Paltz |
Also considered (alphabetical order): Brockport, Dickinson, Hamline, Keuka, Merchant Marine, Wooster
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
St. John Fisher (+0)
The Cardinals didn’t move up in the poll, but we’re designating them as our hottest team since they have a 15-game winning streak, tied with No.1 Middlebury for the longest in the nation. Fisher has not lost since its March 5 overtime decision against York, a neutral site game played in Florida. SJF is the top seed in the Empire8 Tournament and hosts Nazareth in Saturday’s semifinal.
NOT
Brockport (-1)
The Golden Eagles fell victim to SJF, losing 14-5 in a non-conference game, and then lost their chance to earn a first round SUNYAC Tournament bye with a buzzer-beating loss at Cortland. Brockport is the tournament’s third seed and opens against New Paltz Tuesday.
IN
Cortland
Lexie Meager’s goal just before the final horn lifted Cortland to a 14-13 win over Brockport and secured the SUNYAC’s number two seed for the Red Dragons. That goal was the difference in earning a first round bye. Cortland, with wins in five of its last six games, faces the Brockport-New Paltz winner in the semifinal round Friday.
OUT
Denison (previously No. 20)
The Big Red did not fare well in their final non-conference test of the season, losing a lopsided 17-3 decision at No. 11 York last week. York dominated from the outset, building a 9-2 halftime edge and outscoring Denison 8-1 in the second half.