Red-Hot F&M Inching Higher in USA Lacrosse D-III Women's Top 20

If this weekend of Division III women’s action proved anything, it’s that the margins separating the top teams in the country are razor thin.

The top three teams are all undefeated, Franklin & Marshall is riding a five-game winning streak and both Salisbury and Washington and Lee now hold wins over Gettysburg, which was undefeated prior to that stretch.

It’s still the middle of the season, but every ranked matchup feels like a playoff game when the teams are this competitive. And though a game in mid-March will have little to no postseason implications, it could give programs a confidence boost down the stretch. A little bit of extra confidence is not only welcomed, but needed, come April and May.

Take a look at how each team fared in this week’s USA Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
WOMEN’S TOP 20

1. Middlebury, 4-0 (Prev: 1)
2. William Smith, 4-0 (Prev: 2)
3. Tufts, 6-0 (Prev: 4)
4. Franklin & Marshall, 5-1 (Prev: 5)
5. Salisbury, 6-1 (Prev: 7)
6. Washington and Lee, 5-3 (Prev: 6)
7. Gettysburg, 4-2 (Prev: 3)
8. TCNJ, 5-0 (Prev: 8)
9. Pomona-Pitzer, 8-0 (Prev: 9)
10. Wesleyan, 3-1 (Prev: 11)
11. York, 2-3 (Prev: 12)
12. Colby, 4-1 (Prev: 10)
13. Roanoke, 5-2 (Prev: 13)
14. Trinity, 3-1 (Prev: 14)
15. Stevens, 6-0 (Prev. 16)
16. Christopher Newport, 6-2 (Prev. 15)
17. Chicago, 2-2 (Prev: 17)
18. Ithaca, 4-1 (Prev. 18)
19. Williams, 3-1 (Prev. 20)
20. Amherst, 2-2 (Prev. NR)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Cortland, Denison, Kenyon, MIT, St. John Fisher

HOT

Tufts (+1)

Tufts just can’t stop winning as the teams around it falter, and it’s continuing its steady climb into the top three this week. The Jumbos play back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday for a chance to move to 8-0.

Salisbury (+2)

Is there a better medicine for curing the blues of an upset loss than securing a massive upset win of your own three days later? Well, Salisbury quickly regained its footing from its first loss, securing a thorough 16-7 win over Gettysburg. Thanks to that, the Sea Gulls find their way back in the top five.

NOT

Gettysburg (-4)

A very specific set of circumstances saw Gettysburg take a four-spot drop. The Bullets have dropped two games in a row, so both Washington and Lee and Salisbury overtake them in the rankings. No reason to panic about Gettysburg, though, as it will still be a tall task for any team to beat the Bullets the rest of the season.

Colby (-2)

After a 3-0 start, Colby suffered the first blemish on its record, a 9-8 loss to Amherst on Saturday. The Mules didn’t dwell on the loss for long, scoring a win over Roger Williams the next day. They’ll be back in action on Saturday against Hamilton.

IN

Amherst (No. 20)

Amherst is a young team with plenty of potential and is 2-1 since its opening day loss to Middlebury. Securing a win over a top 15 team, coupled with a struggling St. John Fisher, allows Amherst a spot in the Top 20 for the first time this season.

OUT

St. John Fisher (was 19)

St. John Fisher scored its first win of the season on Saturday, but that wasn’t enough to keep it ranked after four consecutive losses. The Cardinals have an important week ahead of them, taking on Cortland on Wednesday and Ithaca on Saturday.