Weekend Poll Scramble 3/23

[jdturtle02]

Rankings are Nike/IL on game day
After this weekend's games, the voters may need our help deciding the next top 20. There were some big gainers, some big decliners, and some teams caught in the middle. We got the answer to the "can Duke go undefeated?" question almost as soon as it was asked. And Princeton officially looks like it may be in trouble.

I think the top three are pretty much set. But from No. 4 on, it gets a little sticky. Notre Dame's game with Air Force was postponed, do the Irish deserve to move up? They have yet to play a top 10 team. Cornell is 0-1 against teams ranked in the top 10 on gameday, a 13-8 loss at No. 7 North Carolina. The Big Red needed overtime to beat No. 11 Navy earlier and the Yale Bulldogs (1-4) Saturday.

Compare those two to Johns Hopkins, Maryland and Georgetown. The Blue Jays are 3-3, with overtime losses to Hofstra, No. 4 Syracuse and No. 2 Virginia. Maryland has played three teams ranked in the top five on gameday -- all on the road -- and beat two of them (No. 4 Georgetown and No. 5 North Carolina) by 5 goals each. The Terps lost at No. 2 Duke 15-8, and at No. 18 UMBC 9-8 in triple overtime. Georgetown has losses to No. 6 Maryland and at No. 5 Syracuse in double overtime, with wins over No. 7 Delaware and No. 1 Duke.

Considering the regional and traditional preferences of the voters, here's my guess what the next top 15 will look like. I was pretty close to last week's USILA coaches poll, which had Hopkins at No. 6.

1. Virginia (9-0)
2. Syracuse (5-1)
3. Duke (8-1)
4. Notre Dame (5-1)
5. Cornell (5-1)
6. Johns Hopkins (3-3)
7. Maryland (6-2)
8. Georgetown (4-2)
9. Navy (8-1)
10. North Carolina (6-2)

11. Drexel (7-1)
12. UMBC (4-3)
13. Army (5-2)
14. Delaware (6-2)
15. Hofstra (3-2)

[laxer6]

Deciding the polls is going to be a huge headache this week. I agree with your top ten but I also could see Maryland and Hopkins changing places. Parity is making this sport very hard to decide the best of the best.

[HoosUrDaddy]

I agree with everything but two.

1.) Hopkins might be ranked further down... like anywhere between Maryland and UNC.

2.) Duke will probably be 2nd. I don't see their loss dropping them that much.

[laxer6]

I think Duke is the real number 2 team but Syracuse will get the nod over them since their only loss was 3 weeks ago to the new number 1 team in the nation in OT.

[HotShotLacrosse]

1. Virginia
2. Duke
3. Syracuse
4. Notre Dame
5. Cornell
6. Johns Hopkins
7. Georgetown
8. Maryland
9. North Carolina
10. Navy

11. Drexel
12. UMBC
13. Delaware
14. Hofstra
15. Army

[laxer6]

I cant justify Georgetown being above Maryland.

1. Virginia
2. Syracuse
3. Duke
4. Notre Dame
5. Cornell
6. Maryland
7. Johns Hopkins
8. Georgetown
9. North Carolina
10.Navy

[faceofflax15]

Virginia
Syracuse
Duke
Notre Dame
Georgetown
Maryland
North Carolina
Cornell

[laxmaniac101]

there is no way Hopkins drops out of the top ten

[atmusfear]

Keeping in mind Duke lost to Loyola last year, I think the Georgetown loss doesn't say a lot and Duke should still be 1 or 2.

When you look at Duke and UVa head-to-head, I think you have to give the edge to Duke, giving them the #1 ranking.

[THALAX]

I don't see how Notre Dame keeps on being ranked so high. They don't have a strong schedule, and they haven't had a lot of strong competition so far. Their toughest opponent has been North Carolina and they lost to them.

Same goes for Cornell.

[jdturtle02]

Really good inputs here guys, and I could argue in support of just about everything everyone posted. Had to check the new Nike/IL Top 20 and Geoff Shannon's analysis this morning before heading to the office. Good stuff ... gotta believe this was a tough week for them. You guys collectively nailed it on Duke and Syracuse, a tie for No. 2 -- that was one of my headaches. We all know how good Duke is, despite the loss. And there you go Thalax, the Irish and Cornell -- like everyone else -- will have to fight their way into the top five.

Was glad to see Hopkins remain firmly planted in the top ten ... maybe it's because I've seen the Jays in three huge games, maybe it's the haunts of seeing them own Maryland for the last several years, but they're the most dangerous No. 6 team I've ever seen! We'll know a lot more after "The Game" at Homewood April 12. Never considered ranking Maryland ahead of Hopkins, it just doesn't feel right ... yet. My other big sighs were dropping Carolina to No. 10, and slipping Navy to No. 9 ... think both may prove to be better by Selection Sunday.

It'll be interesting to see how the coaches (USILA) put it together. But I think you guys (and Nike/IL) got it right. Congrats Georgetown, my vote for "upset of the year."

[laxer6]

I don't see how Albany got 21 votes for their win this week. Sure it was a blow out but they are still 1-5 and Princeton was only a .500 team when they played.

[stegmakk]

IL and Quint are homers to put Hopkins at 6/5 respectively in their ranks.
Laxpower and the coaches poll are more realistic with hop at 9/8 respectively.
Personally I have Hop at 9 as well.

I have:
1. UVA - Can't argue with this. No losses. Multiple quality wins.
2. Duke - Originally I had Duke3 and Cuse 2. Duke has W over #4,9,15,18
3. Cuse - Wins over #4,8,16. If they had one more quality win they'd be 2.
4. MD - W over 4,9,13
5. UNC - W over 6,7,20 (better quality wins than anyone remaining)
6. GT - W over #3Duke puts them here...otherwise much lower (also W over13)
7. Cornell - W over 10,16,20
8. UMBC - Their W over #4MD makes them this high (also W over 20).
9. Hop - Only wins over top 20 are #13,17. Not impressed.
10. Navy - Toss up between Navy/Delaware. Navy just has more W

ND should not be here. Only quality W was over#18.

Close losses are still losses. If you want to count near misses, how about Albany W over17, 1goal L to 7,11,14.

[ILLaxer36]

Navy shouldnt be in there if ND shouldnt. ND lost to then 4 North Carolina by 2 goals on a day that Carolina's goalie had a career day. Navy only has one victory over a top 20 oponent and they needed overtime to get the W. At least give the Irish a top-10 look they also have wins over Loyola and number 11 drexel.

[HotShotLacrosse]

Duke (9-1) Win vs Harvard
Syracuse (6-1) Win vs Hobart
Notre Dame (6-1) Win vs Drexel
Cornell (6-1) Win vs Binghamton
Army (6-2) Win vs Hofstra
Delaware (7-2) Win vs Lehigh
Drexel (7-2) Loss vs Notre Dame
Hofstra (3-3) Loss vs Army

Games played within the last few days by teams mentioned here.

[jdturtle02]

Definitely good wins for Syracuse, Notre Dame and Army. Great midweek match-ups leading into this weekend. Enjoyed the rundown, steg-man, best line followed Hopkins at No. 9 ... "not impressed." I've got buddies in Texas calling me about that one. You're becoming a Hill Country legend! On the other hand, the conspiracy theorist I am, maybe the coaches and certain hard-liners are doing their best to get the Jays fired up just in time for "The Game" ... just a hint at how intense the Hopkins-Maryland rivalry is, everyone is a suspect ... I noticed the IL Magazine cover -- just before the Terps take on Virginia in their biggest game of the year. Is it just me, or are things heating up like a mid-summer forest fire?

[stegmakk]

Navy shouldnt be in there if ND shouldnt. ND lost to then 4 North Carolina by 2 goals on a day that Carolina's goalie had a career day. Navy only has one victory over a top 20 oponent and they needed overtime to get the W. At least give the Irish a top-10 look they also have wins over Loyola and number 11 drexel.

The rankings were done BEFORE the Drexel game based on the weekend games. Of course beating Drexel will move ND up. Maybe to a tie with Hop at 9.

As far as the L to UNC...its still a L...It shouldn't matter if the goalies favorite puppy just died and he took a day off for the funeral...its still a L

[laxer6]

Let's just ignore the 3/23 thats in the thread because this week is going to be just as hard to figure out who's ranked where.

[navylax161]

navy should only fall one spot, if not just keep the #9 ranking. obviously UNC will move up after a win over hopkins, which would put the mids at #10, but hopkins has lost four straight and could drop out of the top 10. id love to see quints reaction to that. also, i dont know how you can put drexel, umbc, or army over navy, who hung tough with georgetown and cornell. theyre a quality team and i think will prove that against maryland or hopkins, if not both. theyre going to come out pissed off after an OT loss.