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| LaxPower WD1 Forum Poll #12 May 28, 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Points | 1st | Previous |
| 1 | Northwestern | 360 | 18 | 2 |
| 2 | Penn | 336 | 1 | |
| 3 | Syracuse | 310 | 5 | |
| 4 | Duke | 302 | 11 | |
| 5 | Maryland | 296 | 4 | |
| 6 | Virginia | 266 | 3 | |
| 7 | Princeton | 237 | 6 | |
| 8 | North Carolina | 231 | 10 | |
| 9 | Boston University | 221 | 9 | |
| 10 | Georgetown | 213 | 7 | |
| 11 | Vanderbilt | 187 | 8 | |
| 12 | Notre Dame | 164 | 12 | |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 123 | 14 | |
| 14 | Cornell | 109 | 15 | |
| 15 | Towson | 104 | 19 | |
| 16 | George Mason | 82 | 13 | |
| 17 | Johns Hopkins | 63 | 16 | |
| 18 | Yale | 56 | 17 | |
| 19 | Stanford | 43 | NR | |
| 20 | Denver | 28 | 18 | |
| Others receiving votes: William & Mary (21), Temple (17), Dartmouth (4), Colgate (3), Oregon (3), Penn State (1) | ||||
Number of voters: 18 (draw18, johnnyboy, jojolax, LAF1, Laxword, Lionwatcher, Lucky Laxer, midatlfan, Mike Fekula, mytwokeepers, novaglax, pweissman, Seinfeld, socrlaxdad, ums, UnderArmourOdor, Unibrow, WLaxinator) Pollsters' Comments About Teams They Ranked Northwestern: The top team all season long, the 'Cats were dominant in all phases of the game. With a roster stacked with underclassmen, this team rose to the occasion with regularity. NU also had multiple players step up throughout the course of the season, highlighting their ability to adapt and win. (draw18) — Wildcats dominate in the tournament with same tried and true formula. No one could match NU's midfield depth and team speed that allows NU to wear down their opponents. To top it off, they will unarguably be the team to beat in 2009. (johnnyboy) — Great win over Penn to seal number one and keep the streak alive. (jojolax) — Rumors of the Wildcats demise were premature, as they went 21-1 for the season and avenged their only loss to Penn in the final. While losing Finch on the defensive end next year, the offensive power they return has people wondering about the safety of Maryland's record of seven consecutive championships. (Laxword) — I, for one, had Penn at #1, until Sunday. Cats come out focused and fired up. I, for two, thought that the Cats would struggle to repeat this year (my bad). I, for three, thought the coaches did a great job of altering the game plan for Penn from the plan they played at Franklin. I, for FOUR, think that Bowen and Nielsen are, by far, the best one-two punch in the land. I would DY if I had a team with such NASTY offensive, defensive, and goal keeping skills. (Lionwatcher) — The BEST; nothing more needs to be said. No foolish comments about the Evil Empire, NW, NWU, flip flops, dynasty, shorts, KAH, rebuilding/reloading, purple-haired fans, revenge, who can do revenge better, etc. (Lucky Laxer) — Dominant athletes get the job done. (midatlfan) — The biggest no-brainer since 2001. And to think the Wildcats have Hillary Bowen, Hannah Nielsen, and Morgan Lathrop returning. Kelly Amonte Hiller is Coach of the Decade. (Mike Fekula) — #1, the champs! At the beginning of the year, I did not expect to see a Northwestern "4-peat" and in fact projected them at #4. Kelly Amonte-Hiller has the Cats playing great lacrosse and loving it. I loved watching it. (mytwokeepers) — #1 Undisputed. I really liked the slogan, "May the Fourth be with you." (novaglax) — The 'Cats pressure is incredible! With only two seniors starting in the championship game, should we go ahead and pencil them into this spot for the 2009 final poll? (socrlaxdad) — Congrats to NW for 4-peat and methodical victory over Quakers. Wear the flip-flops just don't wear the wide, I mean, white shorts to the White House! (UnderArmourOdor) — Dynasty! After successfully winning with a young, fresh cast, there is no end in sight! (Unibrow) — Looking at the whole season, Northwestern is undisputed at #1. I was impressed with NU's level of control while I was watching the championship game. The whole Wildcat team seems noteworthy (and I am sure they will get their share of well deserved awards), but I thought Brooke Matthews was a real standout in her first championship game. Ms. Matthews, a product of the Friends School in Baltimore, is the perfect answer to the Quakers ... another Quaker. (WLaxinator) Penn: The Quakers have been consistent all season long. Ali DeLuca is one of the top players in the nation; with the cast assembled around her (Rachel Manson, Tarah Kiernan, among others), Penn showed why they were one of the top teams in the nation. (draw18) — The Quakers had only four losses in the last two seasons. Problem is that three of them come at the hands of Northwestern. Big picture - two consecutive final fours; 2007- lost in NCAA semis; 2008 - lost in finals; 2009 - ????? (johnnyboy) — Fantastic season and tough loss to Northwestern. New heights reached for this program on the rise. (jojolax) — The loss to Northwestern should not put a damper on the 17-2 Quakers' season. While they lose a lot to graduation, Brower has put together a solid foundation for the future. (Laxword) — I saw Penn play three time, and I cannot overstate how impressed I was with them. To come back, so patiently, and with such poise, when they were down against Duke says so much about the coaching and the kids. It looked like they would do the same in the finals against the Cats, but it was not to be, and that is certainly not a criticism. Clearly number two in the land, in my book. Fabulous season. PS: How is Renna only second team all Ivy? I thought they were supposed to be smart? (Lionwatcher) — Gave everything. Their defense truly impressed, while Waxman seemed to struggle at times. Offensively not there enough to break NU's equally tough D. Light years ahead of last year's showing against NU. (Lucky Laxer) — Serious defensive power but limited offense. (midatlfan) — Tremendous year for the program that has risen further over the past two years than any other. Ali DeLuca is a great talent who will lead them the next two years. (Mike Fekula) — At 19-2, Penn has had a season to remember for a lifetime. Unfortunately they beat the champs several weeks too soon. Still, they can say they beat they champs. From my pre-season forecast at #3, Penn is #2. (mytwokeepers) — Absolutely great defense. Took the Cats to the limit. (novaglax) — Great season for the Quakers ends under NU's persistent pressure. Expect Penn to be a contender in '09. (socrlaxdad) — Great season for Penn. Unfortunately, the Empire Strikes Back was the sequel in the Final. Waxman made it a game. (UnderArmourOdor) — Season proves that Penn is simply not a one-season fluke. Coaching test now begins with loss of many key seniors. (Unibrow) — End of season for the Quakers leaves me with more questions than answers. Did not expect a one-point game between Penn and Duke. Northwestern seemed to control the championship game from start to finish. (WLaxinator) Syracuse: The Orange have a bright future ahead of them. Liz Hogan was outstanding as a rookie; the SU attack, led by Katie Rowan, was deep and potent. Syracuse will be hungry to return to the national scene and will be able to do so easily in 2009. (draw18) — NU vs. Syracuse II ends the same way as their regular season contest; close for a half then the Orange collapse in the second half. Lack of depth and a second go-to player to complement Rowan proved to be the Orange's undoing. Nevertheless, GG inaugural season a success. (johnnyboy) — Great season but still a level below top two teams. Next year should return to final four with some defensive help on the way. (jojolax) — A great season for the 18-3 Orange, with two of those losses coming to Northwestern. As this was basically a team the Lisa Miller recruited and built, we will have to give Mr. Gait a couple more years to see which way they go. (Laxword) — Unlucky to be on the Cats' side of the bracket. Marvelous season in the g'man's debut. Beat a tough and peaking group of young Tar Heels. True(ly) top notch freshman goalie, and an offense that run with the best of them. Defense not only wins championships but gets you to the finals (see Penn). Look forward to lots of good years to come in the North lands. (Lionwatcher) — What a debut season for GG! Gary's Girls continued to gain strength as the season progressed, as "his" style of play truly became "their" style of play. (Lucky Laxer) — Next year this team can dominate. (midatlfan) — As with Penn, Gary Gait has brought this program along very quickly. The Final Four trip was well deserved, and you can look for more big things from this program. (Mike Fekula) — A great run for this young team. With Hogan in the goal for the next three years, 'Cuse is going to be fun to watch. #4. (mytwokeepers) — Great first season for G2 era. Will need to shore up his team defense concept. (novaglax) — Overwhelmed by the 'Cats in the second half ... again! Big East champs, NCAA semis - very solid first season for Gait. (socrlaxdad) — Orange play another good half but not enough scoring SI curse for Rowan appearing in "Faces in the Crowd?" Still suit wins over fleece on style points. (UnderArmourOdor) — Good season but struggled against good competition. Nothing shabby about a trip to the Final 4 in new coach's first season, though. (Unibrow) — When they were good, they were very very good. But when they lost, it was never really all that close. (WLaxinator) Duke: The Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA semifinals without Caroline Cryer -- and then lost in overtime without Emma Hamm. Both are back in 2009, along with Sarah Bullard. Duke showed resiliency and drive; it gained experience it will be able to use next season. (draw18) — Just think, a save here, a goal there, and the Blue Devils may have been the team to lose in the NCAA final to NU. Great end of season run to knock off Georgetown and ACC rival Maryland and take Penn to overtime. (johnnyboy) — Great tournament run ended in tough overtime loss to Penn. With Cryer back, next year should be another final four year for Duke. (jojolax) — With a young team and the loss of the best player in the nation, Duke rose to the occasion in the when it counted and rode a string of upsets to the semifinal. (Laxword) — Best fourth quarter (of the season) team. The curse of LGL bit them again. Four years in the semis, loss to UVa, OT to the Cats, historic UVa comeback, and Penn OT loss. Gotta win the big one, and I thought they had it this year and then mistakes and Penn intensity sunk the Devils. Let's try again next year. (Lionwatcher) — To further search for insight into Duke's season, I left no hay bale unturned and went straight to the donkey's mouth and our friends at Hee Haw: "Gloom, despair, agony on me; deep, dark depression, excessive misery; if it weren't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all! Gloom, despair and agony on me!" I gotta believe that was the first song that went through KK's head after yet another disappointment at the FF. Jekyll and Hyde had nothing on this year's Duke team. To go as far as they did after that mid-season slump? Even LGL would have to (at the very least!) give them some props! (Lucky Laxer) — Scrappy and unpredictable all the way. (midatlfan) — Going on the road to beat Maryland and then losing in OT to Penn in the Final Four makes the B-Devils my #3 on the year. A great accomplishment after losing Cryer early in the year. (Mike Fekula) — This is the end of season snapshot for me, and Duke did beat Maryland and Georgetown to get to the Final Four. At year end they are my #3. (mytwokeepers) — Terrific run to the semis. Wouldn't have thought they would have gotten that far. But overall a very yo-yo season. Is this the parity factor in the ACC or women's lacrosse in general? (novaglax) — OT loss to Penn ... can Kimmel and the Dookies ever make that last, long leap? (socrlaxdad) — Devils put it together in a dramatic post-season run but the curse of the semis (ACC and NCAA) continued for Duke. You thought in OT ... maybe no LGL curse, no Highway to Durham! (UnderArmourOdor) — Great season-end run but still bitten by inability to close out a big game. Watch out next year with most of cast returning along with Cryer. (Unibrow) — With a late season surge, Duke got past Georgetown and Maryland and played Penn about as close as can be done without winning. This earns them a spot in my Top 5. (WLaxinator) Maryland: The Terps used a strong senior class to maintain their status during the majority of the season as one of the top teams in the nation. With Dana Dobbie and Kelly Kasper leading the way, Maryland was a formidable opponent. But just as senior leadership is crucial to success, it is also difficult to replace. (draw18) — This was to be the season the Terps return to the top of women's lacrosse. Maryland fades in the ACC final then the NCAA second round to dash their hopes of gaining the top spot. (johnnyboy) — Still my number three based on the entire season despite loss to Duke. (jojolax) — The 18-3 Terps had loads of talent on the field and came so close with their losses by a total of 5 goals but going 0-2 against Duke. Losing 10 seniors -- including the likes of Dobbie, Kasper, Cohen, Buote, Magor, and Pumphrey -- may make 2009 a rebuilding year. (Laxword) — Flip-flopped the Terps and the Cavs all year. However, I really thought at the beginning of the season that I would be ranking them at number 1 at the end. Is it unfair to say a disappointing season at number 4? I think anything less then final four for this team warrants that. Can you spell R-E-B-U-I-L-D-I-N-G. (Lionwatcher) — A senior laden team with the most rabid, multiple screen named-forum posting, tailgating par excellence fan base this year. Tremendous team to watch. DD has my vote for the most entertaining player of the year. Could not master finishing when it mattered most; taken down in OT by the Hoos in the ACC final and Duke in the tournament. (Lucky Laxer) — I missed this team at the NCAA semis and thought they had the winning combination to make a move for the trophy. (midatlfan) — Expectations were very high, and it is a major disappointment for this squad to not make the Final Four despite having a talented and deep senior class. A good season came to a premature end on their home turf. There is still a lot of talent for the future here. (Mike Fekula) — #5 Maryland was my pre-season #5, but as the year played out I thought they were headed for bigger and better things. I was wrong and they did end up at #5. (mytwokeepers) — Surprising lose to Duke sends the Terps into their shell for the season. How they replace D2 next year will be the big question. (novaglax) — Terps lose a lot of senior starters ... can Reese reload for 2009? (socrlaxdad) — Terps victims of cannibalistic ACC as Duke ends career of great senior class ... what would attendance of been with Terps in FF? (UnderArmourOdor) — Dream showdown with Northwestern never took place, as Terps failed to even make the Final 4, which begs the question of how a team with TWO Tewaaraton finalists cannot get to the dance! (Unibrow) — The Terps remain in my Top 5. (WLaxinator) Virginia: The Cavaliers were just too inconsistent all season long, and their layoff at the end of the season didn't help the situation. No question this team had talent, especially in the defense with Kendall McBrearty and Claire Bordley leading the way. The ability to challenge for the top spot was there all season long, and the Hoos showed it. (draw18) — An otherwise fine season was cut short in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Think UVa was caught looking ahead to showdowns with Syracuse and NU? (johnnyboy) — Upset loss to UNC in first round drops Virginia out of the top five. (jojolax) — It looks like the Hoos fell one come-from-behind victory too short this season, as they were upset by North Carolina in the tournament. As always, Virginia is bringing in a strong recruiting class and reloading rather then rebuilding. (Laxword) — I also thought that I might be commenting on a Wahoo Yahoo in this Poll, but not so. While the ACC toughens you up for the tournament, it also toughens up everyone else in the ACC. You do not want to face anyone from the ACC in the tournament (evidence NC and Duke). (Lionwatcher) — The "Comeback Kids" snatch the ACC crown but could not muster another one against the Heels in the first round. Very disappointing early exit. If there is anything that the Hoos could learn from NU, it would be their use of their bench. (Lucky Laxer) — Disappointing year for a very talented squad. (midatlfan) — The ACC tournament champions fell to UNC in the NCAA 1st round, a disappointing end to what was otherwise a good season for them. (Mike Fekula) — #7. At the season's start I thought UVa was the team to beat and thought they would knock NU out of the title. Wrong I was. (mytwokeepers) — Disappointing end to a very good season. (novaglax) — ACC champs surprisingly knocked out in NCAA first round. Hoos will have some holes to fill for 2009 ... most notably between the pipes. (socrlaxdad) — Hoos also are rung up by another ACC team in the first round ... maybe winning ACC title not a plus as Princeton in first round last two years and a hungry Tar Heel group this year. (UnderArmourOdor) — Unexpected early out in the tourney takes luster off of ACC championship season. (Unibrow) — Virginia sacrificed itself to salvage the good name and reputation of the North Carolina Tar Heels? How cavalier. (WLaxinator) Princeton: Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, and that's what really crushed the hopes of the Tigers in 2008. A strong defense and a balanced offense were the hallmarks of the Tiger team, but when some critical cogs in the machine are taken out, it makes it tougher. Battle, however, Princeton did, and with Lizzie Drumm and Holly McGarvie returning, the Tigers will be right back in the thick of things. (draw18) — The Tigers regrouped well after late season injuries to take out Vanderbilt in the NCAA first round but didn't have enough to stop Syracuse. (johnnyboy) — Injuries prevented a higher finish. Lots of talent returning next year. (jojolax) — While suffering key second half of the season injuries, Sailer's 13-5 Tigers kept it together on guts, hustle, and coaching. (Laxword) — Had them about here early and thought they were over-rated by others early. Injuries did hurt them, but they are no longer the Queens of the Ivy. Early run was nice, but losing three out of four and two in non-competitive fashion says they just hang on in the top 10. (Lionwatcher) — Chris had her team in the running despite their continual state of calamity due to injuries. Great coaching and a team that would not quit! No wonder she's in the HOF! (Lucky Laxer) — Put up about as good a fight as can be expected before losing to Northwestern in the NCAA quarterfinals. This program was underrated until mid-season, when it became clear they were for real. (Mike Fekula) — #9, but with lots of "what ifs" attached to this season. Injuries played havoc with the Tigers, but injuries are part of the game. (mytwokeepers) — Wrong time to lose during the season. (novaglax) — New HOF inductee Sailer will need to get past Penn to regain Ivy control. (socrlaxdad) — Great season but were never the same team they were with KLL healthy. (UnderArmourOdor) — Too many injuries to sustain early season promise. (Unibrow) — The 2008 season for Princeton must be reviewed as two separate parts. Unfortunately for the purposes of final rankings, the part that did not go so well was the second part. (WLaxinator) North Carolina: When UNC was on, the Tar Heels were one of the best teams in the nation. Amber Falcone was a force on defense all season long; if Amanda Barnes was on her game and the attack was in sync, UNC could play with anyone. The Heels have a number of returning players that will keep the ACC interesting in 2009. (draw18) — Who would have thought that UNC and Duke would outshine UVa and Maryland in the NCAA tournament? The Tar Heels knock off the Cavaliers and come within 2 of Syracuse to provide an encouraging end to their season. (johnnyboy) — Upset win over Virginia followed by a close road loss to Syracuse. Attack must improve next year to reach the next level. (jojolax) — The 13-7 Heels showed moments of brilliance and moments of despair this year. It's been said before, but maybe next year they can put it all together at both ends of the field. (Laxword) — One of the Super Ball teams this year, some big ups and some downs. Bounced the Cavaliers but were bounced by the Orange. Lots of up side with these Heels. Looking for big things from the Kids. (Lionwatcher) — They came to C-ville and took out the Hoos then gave Gary's Girls a good game. Where was that team all year? (Lucky Laxer) — Just missed on the road at Syracuse in a close contest. UNC had their ups and downs but finished strong. (Mike Fekula) — My pre-season #6 ended up at #6. Unfortunately, this season will always feel less satisfying than it should due to the loss to Boston College. However, no matter how you slice it, ending up #6 with a hard fought Elite Eight loss to Syracuse is a season to be proud of. (mytwokeepers) — With all that talent, I expected more from this team. (novaglax) — Heels season is one characterized by a bit of inconsistency. Need to be able to regularly beat UVa and UMd to reach that next level. (socrlaxdad) — Played a great game vs. UVa but Godfather has Orange playing well in Dome and Heels come up two short. (UnderArmourOdor) — Unexpected win versus UVa and close call in Syracuse showed that Heels had some bite in them after all. (Unibrow) — Like Duke, the Tar Heels made a late-season surge and are solidly in my Top 10. (WLaxinator) Boston University: With the likes of Sarah Dalton and Tracy Landy, the Terriers established themselves as one of the premier teams in the land. Rachel Klein had a strong season and was a key part of the BU rise into the top-eight on a consistent basis. With a young team, the Terriers will be back for more. (draw18) — The Terriers have had good teams in the past, but this season Coach Robertshaw had BU playing their at a high level in every game. In the end, the Terriers couldn't get past the stingy Penn defense. BU was 2008's best team in New England. (johnnyboy) — BU finishes a strong season with 8-5 loss to Penn that really wasn't that close. (jojolax) — One of the good stories of 2008, the Terriers surprised everyone but themselves by going 18-3 and challenging for the Final Four. While Mortin leaves big shoes to fill, BU only graduates two seniors and returns almost their entire team next year, so look out. (Laxword) — Made a believe out of me. I thought they would fade against competition, but that was not the case. With them and the other Cats, the AE may be automatic next year. (Lionwatcher) — The Terriers put together an impressive 18-3 record with only two seniors on the roster. (Lucky Laxer) — This is a building program which shows great promise. (midatlfan) — Overcame all the doubters with an NCAA quarterfinal appearance before falling to Penn in a fairly close game. Another program to keep your eye on for the future. (Mike Fekula) — #8. I never expected to see Boston make it this high, so congratulations to Liz Robertshaw and her team. (mytwokeepers) — Even though they did not win against Penn, I am still not convinced they were that good. (novaglax) — Terrific season for the Terriers ... with two of their three losses coming at the hands of the NCAA final two. (socrlaxdad) — T-dawgs gave everyone they faced a decent game but didn't play the strongest schedule. (UnderArmourOdor) — No shock that a team inexperienced against top level competition only got as far as the first good team they played in the NCAAs. (Unibrow) — Overcame a few early season losses and looked like they could not be stopped ... until Penn. (WLaxinator) Georgetown: Ashby Kaestner had a breakout season for the Hoyas, who returned to the NCAA championships with just consistent play. Jordy Kirr was a great pickup for G'town, which returns almost everyone to the mix for 2009, including Jordan Troutman. (draw18) — The Hoyas proved during the season they were capable of a big win. G'town was out to prove they could pull out consecutive big wins in an NCAA tournament run but fell victim in the first round to Duke's late season charge. I really liked G'town's schedule this year; highly competitive lineup with a chance to score a big win or two - which they did. (johnnyboy) — Hoyas' young team will be much stronger next year. Ran into a tough Duke team in the tournament. (jojolax) — Ah, the challenge of youth. At times the 12-7 Hoyas looked brilliant and other times less so. What does not kill you, makes you stronger so look out for Georgetown next year. (Laxword) — Nice win against a relatively strong Princeton team and a tough loss to a resurgent bunch of Devils. Nice job in a rebuilding year, showing the Hoyas have some staying power. Looking for more good things next year. (Lionwatcher) — Young team that gained much experience this year. (Lucky Laxer) — Up and down year for the Hoyas including 1st round disappointment at home against Duke, but they continue to have solid talent. (Mike Fekula) — #12. Young team with a great future. (mytwokeepers) — Beat a good Princeton team. But a lot of questions were answered about such a young team. Will this be the team of 2009? (novaglax) — Hoyas will have a lot of work to overcome Syracuse in the Big East next year. (socrlaxdad) — Dangerous team next year as their young players continue to improve. (UnderArmourOdor) — "Wait til next year" should be the Hoyas' cry. Nice season for a very young team. (Unibrow) — Georgetown went a long way with an admittedly young-ish team. They have earned the right to warn: NEXT YEAR! (WLaxinator) Vanderbilt: The Commodores were a solid team behind a phenomenal season by Brooke Shinaberry, playing her best ball in 2008. With a talented Sasha Cielak in front of her and Margie Curran showing off her skills at the other end, Vandy played themselves into the mix. (draw18) — I think the Commodores made some more progress this season after years of trailing both NU and Hopkins. Vandy had more big wins in 2008 than in previous seasons. (johnnyboy) — Loss to Princeton drops the Dores from top 10. (jojolax) — We used to call them the kiddie korps, but the 'Dores went 13-6 this year and lived up to the promise of a great senior class. While this group will be hard to replace, Swezey has done an excellent recruiting job that will keep Vanderbilt competitive into the future. (Laxword) — Nice comeback year. Lots of potential. Great coach. Thought they might beat the Tigers in the tourney. Can they top the Cats next year? (Lionwatcher) — Swezy's putting quite a team together in Nashville. Heard a rumor that their fans will be sporting Minnie Pearl hats to go with their rattles next season! (Lucky Laxer) — Vandy continues to show they belong; close loss to Syracuse in the 1st round is further evidence. Now we wonder when they will take the next step. A program seemingly on the verge for awhile now. (Mike Fekula) — #10. Nice to see the season the 'Dores put together. (mytwokeepers) — Late season slump hurt them. (novaglax) — 'Dores craft another solid season and will still have the dubious challenge of playing NU a couple of times a year. (socrlaxdad) — Beating the Blue Devils was the high water mark for Commodores. (UnderArmourOdor) — Quirky season showed in fast exit from NCAAs. (Unibrow) — Solidly in my Top 10. (WLaxinator) Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish had an up-and-down season, showing flashes of brilliance and coming up big in a key end-of-season win. Caitlin McKinney is an explosive midfielder and Jillian Byers is a great attacker. The development of younger players this season will be very beneficial down the road. (draw18) — The Irish finish with some big wins but also some bad losses in 2008. Overall, a pretty good season. (johnnyboy) — Tough draw of NU in the first round sealed an early exit. (jojolax) — Lots of talent, but the 12-7 Irish are another team that is in the running for the "yo-yo" award this year. Made it to the NCAAs with huge wins over Duke and Georgetown that were counterbalanced by losses to Stanford and Oregon. (Laxword) — Lucky to be in the Midwest (NOT). Unless you are top 8 you get the Cats in the tourney. Seems unfair. Good season and they seem to have a lot returning so I am looking for good things from the Irish next year, but the Big East is tough. (Lionwatcher) — Offensively things are going well; now to get their defense as strong! (Lucky Laxer) — Appeared to be dead in the water at mid-season, but they salvaged their year by getting into the tournament. No disgrace in losing at Northwestern in the 1st round. (Mike Fekula) — #15. I just can't get a handle on Notre Dame even with the year over. Sometimes I think they're excellent; sometimes I can't figure out why sometimes I think they are excellent. (mytwokeepers) — With all the hype about their last two years of recruits, I expected more. (novaglax) — Irish will have a lot of work to overcome Syracuse in the Big East next year. (socrlaxdad) — Love the Irish, particularly Alicia Billings; they were fun to watch! (UnderArmourOdor) — Unlucky to draw the champs in the first round, but result most likely the same if Irish had drawn any of the other seven seeds. (Unibrow) — The Irish did not quite live up to my high expectations for them. (WLaxinator) New Hampshire: The Wildcats had a fantastic season behind the senior leadership of Ashley Milley. With Michaela Hardy and Sarah Von Bargen helping mature Allie Duclos, UNH returned to the national picture--and will help them stay there. (draw18) — UNH could not get past BU (three times) this year in an otherwise good season. (johnnyboy) — UNH caps a good year with disappointing loss to BU in the tournament. (jojolax) — Another one of the feel-good stories, as unheralded New Hampshire went 13-6 with five of those losses by one goal. Unfortunately, three strikes against BU and you're out. (Laxword) — Continued to progress all season. Thought they would give the Terriers a tougher game, but all in all a very nice season for the other Cats. (Lionwatcher) — Had a mid-season nine-game winning streak only to finish the season 3-4. (Lucky Laxer) — After Boston University, this was the biggest pleasant surprise of the year. Seems odd that they have displaced Dartmouth as the power in their state, but this program is on the rise. (Mike Fekula) — #11. It may be cold in New Hampshire, but this was a season to warm the hearts. (mytwokeepers) — The surprise of '08. (novaglax) — Wildcats nearly double their 2007 win total (13, up from 7) and make it to the NCAA tourney. Can they continue the climb in 2009? (socrlaxdad) — Other Wildcats also have a very good year, coming oh so close to clawing the Terriers but were mauled in the second go round in the big ring. (UnderArmourOdor) — Nice Top-20 season. Screwed by NCAA in first round game with third time match-up versus Boston U. (Unibrow) — The power of positive thinking. I have been swayed by the outpouring of love for this team. The people who like these Wildcats really seem to just support New Hampshire. (WLaxinator) Cornell: The Big Red used great performances by Courtney Farrell and Katherine Simmons to push Cornell to the edge of an NCAA invite. With the senior leadership a big part of the Big Red run, it was not a surprising run to get back in the talk. (draw18) — All the talk in the Ivy this season was about Princeton, Penn, Yale, and Dartmouth. Cornell played Penn close, lost to Princeton, and swept the rest of the league to finish a solid season. (johnnyboy) — Just missed the dance. (jojolax) — Another surprise, Cornell was written off after disappointing last year but rose to the occasion to tie for second in the Ivy. A season-ending loss to Notre Dame probably kept them home from the dance. (Laxword) — A win against the Irish might have done it, but it was not to be for the Big Red. However, nice to seem them get back into the national picture after a couple of years off. (Lionwatcher) — Goalie switch mid-year kept the Big Red going. (Lucky Laxer) — The best team to be left out of the tournament, Cornell finished 2nd in the Ivy League with a 5-2 record, 10-6 overall. This is the one the Selection Committee got wrong. At least the Big Red has Kelly Hansen coming back next year; freshman Libby Johnson is a major talent. (Mike Fekula) — #18. Lots of nice things to say about this Cornell team, but mostly they "just miss" the top echelon. (mytwokeepers) — Big Red were just one win away from an NCAA bid in 2008. (socrlaxdad) — Big Red play their way into Top 20 in convincing fashion but come up short in South Bend. (UnderArmourOdor) — Third best in the Ivy. Good season overall. (Unibrow) — The bad news for the Big Red is that they lost six games. The good news is that they really did not lose to any bad teams. (WLaxinator) Towson: The Tigers, led by Hillary Fratzke and Mandy Corry, returned to the NCAA field simply by playing consistent ball. Fratzke is a phenomenal player, and Corry was solid all season and got hot at the right time. (draw18) — Typical of the CAA, it was anyone's title to take in the league tournament. Unlike the past couple of seasons, the Tigers got their claws into the opposition to earn the conference's NCAA spot. Without a signature win over a top team, I think you have to say Towson had a good but not great season. Need to find a complement to Fratzke to climb higher next season. (johnnyboy) — Orange too much for Towson. Great season. (jojolax) — The Tigers came back to upset two ranked teams to win the CAA, finish 13-6, and make it to the NCAAs. Towson loses the heart of its defense behind Corry, Cassel, and Mezzanotte but returns everyone else to make it interesting next year in the CAA. (Laxword) — Finished the season on an upswing, other than a tough loss to the Orange, but that was to be expected. CAA starting to look a little like the ACC in that anybody can beat anybody else on any given day and that makes for great play. (Lionwatcher) — CAA champs making the NCAAs. Good things to come from Upper Charles Street. (Lucky Laxer) — Great finish this year for a team that always plays as if it is the underdog. (midatlfan) — Did well to get into the tournament before being overwhelmed by Syracuse in the 1st round. Mark them down as another rising program making the most of their geographic location on the recruiting trail. (Mike Fekula) — #14. A wonderful year for the CAA champs. (mytwokeepers) — A strong run to win the CAA. (novaglax) — CAA champs should be in a good position to repeat in 0'9 ... especially with Fratzke returning. (socrlaxdad) — Gets in big Dance but is Domed by the Orange but still great year for Tigers. (UnderArmourOdor) — Quick NCAA exit does not diminish the good work going on at Towson. (Unibrow) — It was a good year overall for the Tigers. They squeaked into the upper portion of my Bottom 10. (WLaxinator) George Mason: Behind Laura King and a couple talented rookies, George Mason burst into the rankings and remained there with a solid season. Sara Longobucco was stellar all season long, and the foundation is set for a long run for Mason. (draw18) — Mason made an early season splash with wins over Hopkins and BU but faded in the CAA stretch run to smudge what was a turnaround season. (johnnyboy) — Just missed the dance. (jojolax) — Another "middle-tier" team, the Colonials racked up some quality wins to go 12-5 and achieve some long needed recognition. (Laxword) — Ditto Towson. (Lionwatcher) — Almost had the story book season. (Lucky Laxer) — Went 12-5, 5-2 CAA before losing to Towson in the CAA semis. This program took a major step forward this year. (Mike Fekula) — #16/17. A tie with William & Mary. These two scrappy teams were a pleasure to follow all year. (mytwokeepers) — Tough loss to Towson finished their season. (novaglax) — Patriots came one goal away from the NCAA tourney ... next year they're in. (socrlaxdad) — Pats worked their way to top of second 10 before late season losses to Hofstra and Towson. (UnderArmourOdor) — Best season in last decade only points up that Mason is well coached and capable of the big win. (Unibrow) — These were the best of times. These were the worst of times. Forgetting the emotional roller coaster this team (and its fans) must have been on all year long, I place the pesky Patriots as my #12. (WLaxinator) Johns Hopkins: The Blue Jays faced a tough schedule game-in and game-out, especially in a year that was a rebuilding one for them. But with Kirby Houck rising to the occasion and Sarah Gallion playing great all year long, the Hop made a name for themselves. (draw18) — Killer schedule in a Key-less season relegated JHU to a losing record, yet they were still better than top 20 candidates Towson, Denver, and Oregon and gave NU one of their scares this season. (johnnyboy) — Even with a losing season, still in top 20. (jojolax) — Another up and down team, the Jays need to find the "Key," as they finished with a losing record (8-9) with no wins over ranked teams yet played most everyone tough in their losses. (Laxword) — I thought they would struggle this year without Mary Key, and I think they did. Still need to figure out what life is like after Mary. As you know, there is something about Mary. (Lionwatcher) — Loss to Vanderbilt in the ALC semis ended their season at 8-9. They lose a number of key seniors and will have a rebuilding project underway next year. (Mike Fekula) — #13. Never lived up to my expectations, but with as hard a schedule as any in the country, the Jays were battle tested and proved to be a worthy opponent to all. (mytwokeepers) — I am surprised they did as well as they did given the post-Key era, an unsettled goalie situation, etc. Hopefully they figure something out for next season. (novaglax) — Jays need consistency to challenge Vandy as the ALC #2. (socrlaxdad) — Goalkeeping woes under-minded Jays' campaign. (UnderArmourOdor) — In the first year "after Mary," Jayettes finish under .500. (Unibrow) — Unranked - If press releases are to be believed, this was the first losing season for the Hop after 21 non-losing seasons. (WLaxinator) Yale: Lauren Taylor was a major factor in Yale's return to the national scene during her four years in New Haven. With Jess Champion and Jenn Warden supporting at the other end of the field, Yale was a factor in the Ivy race. (draw18) — Yale failed to beat a single higher ranked team but beat all the their lower-ranked opponents. (johnnyboy) — Need to strengthen schedule. (jojolax) — Almost forget about Yale since their season ended over a month ago. A solid but at times one-dimensional team, the Bulldogs finished 11-5 but with no wins over a final top 20 team. (Laxword) — Some were singing their praises early, but I did not bite. Probably disappointed with their season, but only fourth in the Ivy. Look on the bright side. Yale was better than the Big Green. (Lionwatcher) — Another team that just missed the tournament, the Bulldogs had an 11-5 record and now must replace Lauren Taylor, Jess Champion, and Ellen Cameron. (Mike Fekula) — Bulldogs slip a bit from 2007 ... but still a very respectable season. (socrlaxdad) — Last loss to Big Red is nail in the coffin of disappointing season. (UnderArmourOdor) — Yale gets my "hard-to-be-logical-about" #20 spot for beating Fairfield. The Stags had a near perfect season, and the Bulldogs benefit from my desire to mention a solid team that I can in no way consider for a Top 20 ranking otherwise. GO STAGS! (WLaxinator) Stanford: Despite the coaching turmoil, Stanford re-establishes themselves at the top of the MPSF. Big wins over Penn and Notre Dame help Stanford claim "best of the West." (johnnyboy) — Up and down season. Need to win on the road. End on a high note winning conference. (jojolax) — Debated among Stanford, Denver, and Dartmouth for the last spot in the poll but gave it to the Cardinal because of their late season wins over both teams. Another up and down team, Stanford won the MPSF title and finished 12-8 with a couple quality wins (ND, Penn) and some surprising losses. Graduated Laura Shane, which leaves a huge hole in goal to be filled next year. (Laxword) — Ditto Denver. (Lionwatcher) — Given all the coaching turmoil, the Cardinal put together a nice season. (Lucky Laxer) — Despite the coaching upheaval, this team finished as conference champion. (midatlfan) — Upset winner of the MPSF Finals, their 12-8, 3-2 MPSF record, including wins over Penn and Notre Dame, was not enough to get them to the Show. Further proof that the tournament needs to be expanded. (Mike Fekula) — How do you replace Shane? (novaglax) — Winning MPSF tourney after "drama" at the helm has to make them feel season wasn't a loss. (UnderArmourOdor) — Probably had the most satisfying season of any team in America. Here's hoping the "interim" head coaches land on their feet somewhere they are appreciated. This season's feel good story. (Unibrow) — What a season for the Cardinal. Eclectic win/loss record? (WLaxinator) Denver: The Pioneers were a great team all season long, and Kelly O'Connell had a strong season to help keep DU in the spotlight. Karen Morton again was a consistent player for the Pioneers, who will continue to lead the charge out west. (draw18) — You have to give Denver credit for going for it in their early season schedule taking on the traditional women's lacrosse powers of Duke, UNC, and Georgetown in an effort to make the NCAA tournament. Although it didn't work out this season, that is the formula for making the NCAA tournament for a western team. (johnnyboy) — Need to strengthen schedule. (jojolax) — Not ranked: Kudos for continuing to build a strong program and a solid year, finishing 13-6, and losing the MPSF title by one goal. Unfortunately "quality" losses only go so far, but the Pioneers seemed poised to turn some of those into quality wins next year. (Laxword) — Up and down. Down with a loss to the Cardinal. How do you really rate the teams out West? I can't seem to figure them out this year. (Lionwatcher) — This team continues to improve incrementally and shows flashes of brilliance. (midatlfan) — Upset by Stanford in the MPSF tournament finals, the Pioneers had a solid 13-6, 5-1 season. (Mike Fekula) — Pioneers should stay atop the MPSF in 2009 ... and maybe garner an NCAA bid in the process. (socrlaxdad) — MPSF loss to Stanford makes this a disappointing year for Pioneers. (UnderArmourOdor) — Almost dropped Denver altogether for the loss to Rutgers. But, while I fully understand that others may not have ranked them, I have a soft spot for the teams from "out West." (WLaxinator) William & Mary: The Tribe really turned it around in the second half of the season behind Jamie Sellers and a couple of strong rookies. With the talent W&M has returning, including Grace Golden and Emily Geary, the Tribe could be looking ahead to a return to the NCAA days of yesteryear. (draw18) — W&M had a Jekyll and Hyde season, losing six of their first eight games, but finished 10-9 and lost in the CAA final to Towson. The Tribe has youth on its side so should be back next year. (Laxword) — Ditto Towson. (Lionwatcher) — Halfpenny's got the Tribe on a roll. Smoke signals say "look out for '09!" (Lucky Laxer) — Another CAA team that stepped up, the Tribe did well with a group of freshmen who made a major impact including Grace Golden, Maggie Anderson, and Ashley Holofcener. (Mike Fekula) — #16/17. A tie with George Mason. These two scrappy teams were a pleasure to follow all year. (mytwokeepers) — Played everyone with abandon; good young players mixed well with vets. (UnderArmourOdor) Temple: The Owls topped the A-10 conference to earn an NCAA bid but show they have more to do to reach Top 20 status. (johnnyboy) — The Pride of Philadelphia, well except for, maybe, Penn. How about BIG FIVE LAX! (Lucky Laxer) — Gave a good account of themselves in the first half of the 1st round against Maryland before being overwhelmed. Nice to see this program returning to the elite. (Mike Fekula) — #19. Great job by Bonnie Rosen. (mytwokeepers) — While they were the tourney's A10 representative, I am not sure how really strong they are. There is so much parity in the A10. (novaglax) — Owls lose first round at Terps ... but they've set the bar to return in '09. (socrlaxdad) — Temple's return to NCAAs is a tribute to Bonnie Rosen's coaching. (Unibrow) Dartmouth: Loss to Cards hurt and keeps them out of Top 20. (UnderArmourOdor) — The season's second biggest disappointment. (Unibrow) — Unranked - Numerous (and often BIG) losses doomed Dartmouth. Wins against James Madison and Princeton lost value as those teams stumbled. (WLaxinator) Colgate: It says here they were lucky to make the tournament, and at least they managed to avoid a total embarrassment against Penn in the 1st round. I am all for giving mid-majors a chance but am not buying the idea of Colgate as one of the top 16 teams in the country. They can prove me wrong next year. (Mike Fekula) — #20. Colgate gets the final top 20 spot as a nod to the Patriot League. (mytwokeepers) Oregon: The University of Nike was a game opponent for everyone on their schedule this season. The Ducks get credit for upgrading their schedule and taking a step in the right direction with their overall program. (johnnyboy) — Why a Duck? Well, why not? (See Denver.) (WLaxinator) Penn State: Gotta give big time style points to the Nit-Lions, whose 5-12 record included one point losses to Northwestern, Maryland, Princeton, and Temple. A year's supply of Ibuprofen goes to the coaching staff. (Mike Fekula) — I still have nothing ... next year? (UnderArmourOdor) — The season's biggest disappointment. Only 11 teams in D1 had more losses than the Nittanys. Rumors of parent revolt surfacing (like it matters). (Unibrow) — Unranked - Tough year for the young Lions. Still, one-point losses to Princeton, Maryland, and Northwestern may give this team hope for the future. Like my other unranked teams, PSU was ranked higher than Rutgers ... and, according to many, Rutgers was said to be "the real deal" (before the season started). (WLaxinator) Other Teams Pollsters Considered (and comments, if any) Delaware: Couldn't win any games against ranked teams this season to dash a year with high expectations. (johnnyboy) — Injuries and inconsistencies hurt the Hens this year. (Lucky Laxer) Louisville: The Cardinals get an honorable mention for their achievements (with a young squad) in Louisville's debut season, albeit against a lesser D1 schedule. Good start to establish a foundation to build on. (johnnyboy) James Madison: Talent never came together. Will miss Stone and Wagner. (UnderArmourOdor) — Unranked - For whatever reason, this team never lived up to the expectations of the Dukes' fans and even failed to dominate the CAA. (WLaxinator) Saint Francis: 0-14 but they came to work every day just like everyone else. Keep working and keep having fun. (Lionwatcher) Boston College: Finished the season 7-10 but have a lot of young talent led by sophomore Lauren Costello, plus Bowen Holden is having a very good recruiting campaign. (Mike Fekula) Massachusetts: Navy: A great start for Cindy and her players. Just need to strengthen their schedule. (novaglax) — Can't ignore a record-setting, 13-win first year. Should be primed to win the Patriot League in 2009. (socrlaxdad) — Nice maiden campaign for Midshipmen. (UnderArmourOdor) — This season, an invite to the Patriot League tournament. Next season, a Patriot League championship! (Unibrow) Loyola: Finally progress ... the coaching staff has not been retained. (Unibrow) Richmond: Unranked - It has almost become an annual tradition for the Spiders to have at least one big upset of a higher ranked team to their credit. There were Richmond upsets this year unless you count Virginia Tech's upset of them. Even the A10 championship slipped away from the Spiders. (WLaxinator) | ||||
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