It may be hard to fathom, but as we approach the last weekend of March, we have now crossed the midway point of the 2022 regular season. There’s still a lot of lacrosse that lies ahead, especially with conference play in full swing in all regions, but don’t look now, as the announcement of the 16-team NCAA tournament bracket is just 44 days away.

Putting that on hold for now, this is a good time to take a brief look in the rearview mirror and identify some of the games and teams that have caught our attention through the first half of the season.

BIGGEST SURPRISE TEAM

There are several candidates here, but No. 11 Embry-Riddle from the Sunshine State Conference is our choice. Led by first-year coach Leah Peppelman and unranked in the preseason, the Eagles remain unbeaten with a school-record 10-game winning streak heading into April and their SSC opener against another of our surprise teams, Florida Tech. There’s no argument that ERAU’s toughest tests are still to come in the very competitive SSC that includes the likes of Rollins, Florida Southern and Tampa, among others, but wins over NE10 members St. Anselm and Assumption, as well as 2021 NCAA qualifiers Mount Olive and Seton Hill, have prepared the Eagles for the challenges ahead.

Others considered: Florida Tech, Lander, So. New Hampshire

TOUGHEST EARLY SEASON SCHEDULE

It’s hard to imagine that any team could intentionally create a schedule more challenging than what Tampa has faced thus far. All five of the Spartans’ losses have come against teams currently ranked in the top 10 of this week’s Nike/USA Lacrosse Top 20, including No. 1 Queens, No. 2 UIndy and No. 3 Lindenwood. To say that the Spartans are battle-tested as they jump into their conference schedule would be quite an understatement.

“The best way to prepare ourselves to play in big games is to play them,” said Tampa head coach Kelly Gallagher, who masterminded this lineup. “I believe that no other team is going to be more prepared to face the grind of the SSC in April. I am confident that our team is very prepared for anything that gets thrown our way.”

Others considered: Le Moyne, Roberts Wesleyan, St. Leo

BEST GAME TO DATE

Then-No. 1 UIndy nipped then-No. 2 Le Moyne 11-10 in the Carrier Dome on March 13. This heavyweight battle lived up to the anticipation, with six ties and four lead changes. UIndy scored four straight goals to close the third quarter leading 10-7 only to see Le Moyne answer with three straight goals in the fourth quarter to knot the score at 10. UIndy All-American Abigail Lagos then scored the eventual game-winner with seven minutes to go, and goalie Audrey Moran made three saves in the closing minutes to preserve the victory.

Others considered:

• Lander rallies from nine-goal fourth-quarter deficit to beat Belmont Abbey 15-14 (Feb 12)

• Queens withstands late Florida Southern rally to win 12-9 (Feb 27)

• East Stroudsburg scores final four goals for 12-11 comeback win (March 19)

UNDER-THE-RADAR TEAM

In a Midwest Region that includes both defending champion Lindenwood as well as No. 2 UIndy, it’s easy to get overlooked. But those who sleep on No. 10 Grand Valley State will have a rude awakening. The Lakers carry an 8-1 record into Friday’s game against Concordia-St. Paul, with their only loss coming three weeks ago at No. 2 UIndy in a competitive game that GVSU led midway through the third quarter. The Lakers are the favorites to repeat as GLIAC champions and will contend for one of the region’s four NCAA slots, with the potential to garner some more attention in the postseason.

Others considered: Regis, Pace, Stonehill

COMING IN HOT

No team has won more Division II titles than Adelphi, which has captured the trophy nine times since 2001. The Panthers missed out on the NCAA tournament last year but appear to have rediscovered their mojo in 2022 with a 5-0 record. That mark includes arguably the best win by any team this season, a 7-5 victory over then-No. 1 UIndy in which Adelphi limited the high-scoring Greyhounds to just one second-half goal and their lowest goal output in three years. Adelphi will once again figure prominently in the NE10 chase and the East Region’s postseason picture.

Others considered: Queens, Rollins, East Stroudsburg

NOTABLE

In regard to the 16-team NCAA tournament, keep in mind that there are no automatic bids provided for conference champions in Division II. The NCAA selection committee will make all the selections for the tournament, with four teams picked from each of the four regions (Atlantic, East, Midwest, South).

Some important dates to keep in mind as the season moves ahead:

Wednesday, April 20 — First published NCAA regional rankings
Wednesday, April 27 — Second published NCAA regional rankings
Wednesday, May 4 — Third and final published NCAA regional rankings
Sunday, May 8 — National committee announces NCAA tournament selections
Friday, May 13, and Sunday, May 15 — First and second round games on campus sites
Friday, May 20, and Sunday, May 22 — Semifinals and final, hosted by Lindenwood University

We may be halfway home, but it feels like the fun is just getting started.