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| LaxPower WD1 Forum Poll #12 May 27, 2009 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Past Week | Pts. | 1st | Prev. |
| 1 | Northwestern (23-0) | W Penn 13-12, W UNC 21-7 | 320 | 16 | 1 |
| 2 | Penn (15-3) | L Northwestern 12-13 | 298 | 3 | |
| 3 | Maryland (21-1) | L UNC 7-8 | 287 | 2 | |
| 4 | North Carolina (16-5) | W Maryland 8-7, L Northwestern 7-21 | 274 | 5 | |
| 5 | Duke (15-6) | 258 | 4 | ||
| 6 | Notre Dame (16-5) | 224 | 6 | ||
| 7 | Princeton (14-4) | 223 | 7 | ||
| 8 | Syracuse (14-5) | 218 | 8t | ||
| 9 | Georgetown (13-6) | 184 | 8t | ||
| 10 | Virginia (11-8) | 170 | 10 | ||
| 11 | Boston University (15-4) | 160 | 11 | ||
| 12 | Vanderbilt (10-7) | 142 | 12 | ||
| 13 | Stanford (14-4) | 121 | 14 | ||
| 14 | Ohio State (11-6) | 91 | 13 | ||
| 15 | Penn State (9-8) | 82 | 16 | ||
| 16 | Dartmouth (8-8) | 76 | 15 | ||
| 17 | Towson (13-6) | 62 | 19 | ||
| 18 | Loyola (11-6) | 58 | 17 | ||
| 19 | New Hampshire (12-7) | 30 | 18 | ||
| 20 | Fairfield (17-3) | 24 | NR | ||
| Others receiving votes: William & Mary (21), Cornell (17), Colgate (6), Massachusetts (6), Old Dominion (5), Delaware (2), Hofstra (1) | |||||
Number of voters: 16 (draw18, Glaxrdaddy, johnnyboy, LAF1, Laxword, Lionwatcher, Lucky Laxer, MDLaxManiac, mytwokeepers, novaglax, Seinfeld, socrlaxdad, ums, UnderArmourOdor, Unibrow, WLaxinator) Pollsters' Comments About Teams They Ranked Northwestern: Simply a dominating performance by one of the best teams ever assembled in collegiate women's lacrosse history. From the playmaking of Nielsen to the lionheart of Bowen, from the power of Spencer to the creativity of Dowd, from the relentlessness of Vigmostad to the concentration of Lathrop, this team earned without question the right to call itself national champions. Enjoy every inch of the celebration, Northwestern, for it is well-deserved. (draw18) — #1. Undisputed heavyweight champs. The Cats had the plan, the attitude, the will to win, and the personnel. Tremendous win over Penn, and the final was the capper on an undefeated season. (Glaxrdaddy) — #1 - True champions - took on all comers and turned them away to go undefeated and claim their 5th prize. (johnnyboy) — And then there was one. Five in a row but faced a few serious challenges that they overcame. The Wildcats reload rather than rebuild, but six may be a little tougher losing All-Americans Nielsen, Bowen, Lathrop, and M. Frank while Terps and Heels return most of their squads. (Laxword) — Although the Deathstar's weapons and defenses were severely tested by the Peaceful ones, they recharged their 10,000 turbolaser batteries, 2,600 ion cannons, and at least 768 tractor beam projectors and utilized their blastboats, Strike cruisers, land vehicles, support ships, and 7,293 TIE fighters to "edge" the Tar Heels in the finals, thus securing the universe for all that is good and purple. Must reload if Star 6 is to be reached. (Lionwatcher) — No questions, no doubts; just haters! (Lucky Laxer) — 23-0, unbeaten during 2009, 2009 National Champions, #5 in a row. BUT, team loses 1/3 of roster to 2009 graduation. How will they be in 2010? IMO, championship was played Friday night in NU vs. UPenn game in 2OTs!! (MDLaxManiac) — #1. Who else? (mytwokeepers) — Five rings since '05 - Kelly Amonte Hiller is the coach of the century. (socrlaxdad) — It is American Idol Week after all, so that is what I’m going with ... Kelly Clarkson, you knew she was going to win, like the Cats, but you don’t want to see her in purple shorts either! (UnderArmourOdor) — The Deathstar has returned to its base. Mission accomplished ... again. (Unibrow) — Twenty-three wins. Ten wins against Top 10 teams. No losses. Perfect season equates to number 1. (WLaxinator) Penn: The experience of Penn combined with their talent helped the Quakers push the nation's best team to the limit. Giordano doesn't get enough credit for all that she does, and Szelest stepped in quite nicely this season, thank you very much. Renna led a tough defensive unit, and Brennan was a great pickup for the Quakers who have now proven that Penn lacrosse is a member of the new elite. (draw18) — #2. The Quakers took the undisputed champs to double OT in the de facto national championship on Friday in arguably the most exciting Final Four game ever played. Total domination of NC in the regular season a contributing factor also. Second place. (Glaxrdaddy) — #2 - Other than the setback to Stanford, Quakers only losses came to NW, the last one in overtime. Timing of Penn's loss to Stanford vs. timing of Terps loss to UNC give the Quakers my number 2 spot. (johnnyboy) — So close and yet so far. IMO the championship game was played in the semi, but it was not be. No one played Northwestern tougher over the last two years. (Laxword) — Demonstrated that too much focus on one opponent can lead to let down (see Cardinal) but rebound, with that same intense focus, to battle to within inches of the goal. Is 2010 the year of the Quaker? (Lionwatcher) — Props to the Quakers! Could that one person have made the difference? (Lucky Laxer) — Best 15-3 team out there! Great team, #2 IMO. Team had great game vs. NU in semifinals. Go Quakers. (MDLaxManiac) — #2. Penn gets my year-end nod for the second spot after their strong showing, albeit in a loss, to Northwestern. (mytwokeepers) — The Quakers may not have made the final ... but they were the second best team in Towson this weekend ... and with the Terps faltering, that makes UPenn my #2 overall. (socrlaxdad) — Fantasia Barrino. You never thought she would win, like the Quakers. They kept moving on and came back from end-of-season swoon to beat Duke in OT ... LGL's curse a week late for my taste. (UnderArmourOdor) — Fifteen wins. Three wins against Top 10 teams. Three losses. All three losses by one or two points. Two losses to the #1 team. One loss to #14. The Penn schedule avoided most of the Top 10 teams and set up two "all or nothing" confrontations with Northwestern. Unfortunately for the Quakers, the Wildcats won both. (WLaxinator) Maryland: For a team that was supposed to be rebuilding slightly, the Terrapins didn't listen to all the hype. Caitlyn McFadden showed how much of a team leader she is--and why she is one of the nation's top players--and P. Johnson easily made the transition to the collegiate game. The international connection of Mollison and Merrifield was powerful, and Brittany Dipper held her own in the cage. Now that they have made the semis, when they come back in 2010, it won't be a new concept. (draw18) — #4. A fantastic season, the perfect seed, but didn't bring it to the Final Four. Perhaps not enough seasoning. Will be back next year. Fourth. (Glaxrdaddy) — #3 - Terps' only dud game came in the NCAA semifinals - bad timing for an otherwise fantastic season. Terps have to be considered for preseason top spot in 2010. (johnnyboy) — Terps come up short against UNC in the semi, but at 21-1 not bad for a rebuilding year. With virtually everyone back next year, watch out Northwestern. (Laxword) — I did not see the great season coming from the Terps, so kudos for the undefeated regular season and run to the Final Four. Did not look like the Terps I heard about, or watched on that little 4 by 4 screen on my computer, on Friday. However, I am sure that it was lesson learned, and I am expecting big things from the Red and Black next year with tons of talented Terps returning. (Lionwatcher) — I cannot fathom the loss to UNC, especially after Sunday's game. Tremendous stick work and passing along with a knock-out defense gave the Turtle lovers a great year. They've got my vote for the pre-season #1 spot. (Lucky Laxer) — 21-1, GO TERPS!! The young guns struggled in their first trip to the final four in a few years. Good news - they are young, didn't lose anything to graduation, and will be back and will be even better next year!! My #3 team, they are #2 in LaxPower numerical rankings! Fear the Turtle! (MDLaxManiac) — #4. If this were a poll for the entire year, the Terps would be my second choice on their body of work for the year. However, in a poll at year-end, the Terps are fourth behind UNC. (mytwokeepers) — One goal, one game, end of season. Heck of a "rebuilding year" for the Terps, who will return all 12 starters for 2010. To bad we missed out on two 22-0 teams battling for it all in the final. (socrlaxdad) — Carrie Underwood was the beauty of the season only to crash to an ACC rival; however, the future looks bright! (UnderArmourOdor) — Twenty-one wins. Nine wins against Top 10 teams. Single one-point loss to a Top 5 team. Amazing year for the Terps. (WLaxinator) North Carolina: A breakthrough year for the Tar Heels behind the previously unheralded play of Logan Ripley in the cage and the dynamic defense led by Amber Falcone. With a multi-pronged attack of the Taylors, Bosica and Donohoe and a midfield like Jenn Russell and Kristen Carr, UNC played its way to the national championship game. (draw18) — #3. Beating Maryland head-to-head in the Final Four, but being totally dismembered in the final and crushed by Penn regular season leaves the Heels third. (Glaxrdaddy) — #4 - UNC had a strong season and finished stronger save for the NCAA final. (johnnyboy) — Not much gas in the tank against Northwestern after semifinal upset of Terps. The Heels lose only Falcone and Parks and return their top four scorers, so they should be in the hunt next year as well. (Laxword) — Move to three by keeping the Turtle within its shell for the last 8 plus minutes. That struggle seemed to take everything out of the Heels. (Lionwatcher) — Congrats for making it to the Final. Chalk this trip up as experience ... then burn the video! (Lucky Laxer) — 14-5 UNC gets #4 because they made it to the final 4 but played more like #6 LaxPower numerical team. Whatever they did to prepare for the championship game, they should never do again! They were blown out of the championship game! (MDLaxManiac) — #3. At year end, UNC beat Maryland and got spanked by Northwestern. That places them ahead of the Terps, but behind UPenn and Northwestern. (mytwokeepers) — 'Heels got hot in the tourney ... right up until they ran into the Wildcat buzz saw. (socrlaxdad) — Jordan Sparks, who saw this winner coming? Heels over the Terps, no way, but second all-ACC contest of the tourney, with both tough games one OT and a one-goal win. (UnderArmourOdor) — Sixteen wins. Five wins against Top 10 teams. Five losses. All losses by five points or more. Two losses to the #1 team. All losses to Top 5 teams. (WLaxinator) Duke: The Blue Devils were bitten just one too many times in 2009; the attacking unit of Cryer, Hamm, Del Monte, Davis, Bullard and Gilbride missed the fraction of a step without Davis -- and who knows what could have happened. The core of the team is back, however, and it will be a great starting off point. (draw18) — #5. A tough path in the tournament, OT win against Virginia and OT loss to Penn after a one-goal loss to Terps late season gets the Dookies fifth. (Glaxrdaddy) — #5 - Tough to be a very good team in the nation's strongest conference. Losses came to higher ranked teams by close margins - just couldn't seem to ring the bell. (johnnyboy) — Always close, as five of six Duke losses were by two goals or less, including an OT loss to Penn in quarter-finals to close out the season. (Laxword) — Tough loss to the Quakers to end the season says much about the Devils, but I cannot move them over the Heels and the Terps. Thought we would see them in Towson. (Lionwatcher) — Didn't get to the FF but gave their fans their money's worth all year. (Lucky Laxer) — 15-6 - Blue Devils lost too many important games this year including the one to the Quakers in the playoffs. Interesting that LaxPower numerical ranking has them at #3. I'm being generous at #5. (MDLaxManiac) — #5. By standing tall against UPenn, Duke earned the fifth place slot on this final poll. Coach Kimmel did a fine job in getting this team to regroup during a very uneven season. (mytwokeepers) — Penn Quakers + OT = another bitter pill for the Dookies to swallow. (socrlaxdad) — Catharine McPhee, so close again taking Penn to OT but comes up short but looked good all season. (UnderArmourOdor) — Six losses in total. Four wins against Top 10 teams. Five losses by one or two points. All six losses to Top 10 teams. (WLaxinator) Notre Dame: Jill Byers went out with a bang, leading the Irish back into the nation's elite with help from Shaylyn Blaney and Gina Scioscia. With Shannon Burke leading the defense in front of a battle-tested Erin Goodman, ND made its way to the quarterfinals after winning the Big East tournament crown. The Irish are losing points in Byers, but they have momentum in spades. (draw18) — #7. Toss-up with Syracuse for 6-7, but mid-season loss to the Orange tips it to seventh. (Glaxrdaddy) — #6 - No one but the Irish themselves predicted they would be the top team in the Big East - why they play the games, yada, yada, yada. (johnnyboy) — The 16-5 Irish were on a roll after winning the Big East tournament but then ran into a UNC buzz saw in the NCAA quarters. (Laxword) — Finally beat the curse of "Indiana next to Illinois" this year. Big Big East win sealed the deal. I have two words for the Irish: Dee Fense. They score but so do their opponents, and that is the Irish downfall. (Lionwatcher) — The Leprechauns followed their rainbow to capture the Big East and dance into the second round. GREAT finish for the IRISH! (Lucky Laxer) — 16-5 - They were one of my surprise teams of the season. Congratulations, Irish! #6 in my final poll. (MDLaxManiac) — #8. A quality year for the women of Notre Dame. (mytwokeepers) — 16-5 and Big East champs ... a very successful season for the Irish. (socrlaxdad) — Carly Smithson. Irish women after late-season success fail to capitalize in Chapel Hill. (UnderArmourOdor) — My #8. Sixteen wins and five losses. Defeated two Top 10 teams. Four losses to Top 10 teams. (WLaxinator) Princeton: The Tigers have quality teams year-in and year-out, and 2009 was no exception. Holly McGarvie was the centerpiece of a team that had talent all over the place, especially Erin Tochihara in the cage. Lindsey deButts was phenomenal for a rookie, while Kristin Schwab was very underrated in her presence all over the field. The senior leadership of McKenna and Cox in the defense played a big role in the success of the Tigers. (draw18) — #8. Late-season struggles, but came up big in the tournament vs. the Hoyas, so Tigers wind up eighth. (Glaxrdaddy) — #8 - Many like me thought Princeton would have a good season (they did) and be the top Ivy entrant in the top 10 (second ain't too shabby). (johnnyboy) — Without a lot of fanfare, the Tigers just win. (Laxword) — Lost to two of the best teams in the nation over the last few weeks, but that does not diminish the tale of these Tigers. (Lionwatcher) — It's amazing how Sailer does it year in, year out. (Lucky Laxer) — 14-4 Princeton ends up #9 for me and #9 in LaxPower's numerical rankings. (MDLaxManiac) — #7. Princeton lost a coin flip somewhere this year and had the distinct season ending misfortune of having to play Northwestern in the quarterfinals. (mytwokeepers) — Solid 14-4 season for the Tigers - three of their four losses were at the hands of the Final Four! Their other loss was at Duke (my #5) by one goal. (socrlaxdad) — Diana DeGarmo always was the runner-up to UPenn in the Ivy Idol competition. Convincingly showed the Hoyas the door in the first round. (UnderArmourOdor) — Fourteen wins and four losses. Defeated two Top 10 teams. All losses to Top 10 teams. Three losses by five points or more. (WLaxinator) Syracuse: Talk about going out with everything on the line -- Katie Rowan made sure her final tournament was a big one, putting the Orange squarely on her shoulders and establishing herself as one of the top scorers in women's lacrosse history, both in the regular season and in the tournament. While it might not have turned out the way SU wanted it to, with Hogan and Rogers back as well as Quillinan and Dove, SU is not done just yet. (draw18) — #6. Two-goal loss to MD in the quarters and mid-season defeat of ND earns the Orange sixth place. (Glaxrdaddy) — #7 - Orange are truly a top ten team, but I expected more from them in 2009. Am anxious to see how GG's first recruits will impact the orange in 2010. (johnnyboy) — 14-5 Syracuse showed they can play with the big girls, but it will be interesting to watch as the Orange move from the era of Miller recruits to Gait recruits. (Laxword) — I had them preseason at number 2 and was sure that I would see them at Towson. Probably the most disappointing season of anyone in the top 10. So much talent, which showed itself some days but did not on some others. (Lionwatcher) — Gary's girls gave their all against MD. With his continual development of the players on roster alongside the incoming class, they will be even stronger next year. (Lucky Laxer) — 14-5 - I had BIG expectations of the Orange this year. Not sure what happened to the team this year. #7 in my poll. (MDLaxManiac) — #6. The Godfather had his girls playing very well and their two-goal quarterfinal loss to Maryland showed how strong they are. (mytwokeepers) — 14-5 Orange gave the undefeated Terps all they could handle in their NCAA quarterfinal loss. (socrlaxdad) — Kristy Lee Cook - tallest Idol I could think of, as they were just a dominant presence and gave Terps a tough game. (UnderArmourOdor) — My #7. Fourteen wins and five losses. Defeated one Top 10 team. All five losses to Top 10 teams. (WLaxinator) Georgetown: The Hoyas used a solid squad all season long to hang in the upper echelon of the women's lacrosse world. Caitlin Formby, Bridget Noon and Jordan Trautman combined for an imposing defense while Ford, Kaestner and Kirr were a great 1-2-3 combination. With most of them back in 2010, the Hoyas won't lose a step. (draw18) — #9. Loss to Princeton in the tournament following a late-season loss to ND leaves the Hoyas at in ninth place. (Glaxrdaddy) — #9 - Good 2009 could have been better with more consistent play - still a relatively young team put in top 10 results in 2009. (johnnyboy) — Hoyas faded at the end but still made the Dance. Youth should serve them well in the future. (Laxword) — Hoyas and Irish are pretty much interchangeable to me at this spot. Nice season but a bit up and down. (Lionwatcher) — 13-6 I had a lot of great expectations for Gtown this year, but something happens that always seems to happen with this talent-laden team. Gtown needs to play better next year and win the big games! (MDLaxManiac) — #9. Ricky Fried's Hoyas have impressed me all year, and I think they have been a classic overachieving team, excelling in team intellect when pure athleticism fails. (mytwokeepers) — Late season stumbles hurt the Hoyas, but they still make my final Top 10. (socrlaxdad) — Antonella Barba and Hoyas both looked good out of DC until a fountain of Tiger goals. (UnderArmourOdor) — Thirteen wins and six losses. A year of unexpected wins and unexpected losses. (WLaxinator) Virginia: Not quite the year the Cavaliers were hoping for, especially after the big win at the Dome to open the season. The contributions made by the seniors on this team were immense, from Ashley McCulloch's ability to lead the offense to the firepower of Weymouth and Hauser to the experience of Holden and Shannon in the defense. When the Hoos needed a break, nothing seemed to bounce their way. (draw18) — #10. The Cavs almost knocked the Dooks out of the tourney, lost in OT, and one-goal late season loss to #1 NU leaves the Cavs rounding out the top 10. (Glaxrdaddy) — #11 - Guess it was the Cavaliers' turn to be the fourth best team in the ACC. (johnnyboy) — Most teams would be happy with a Top 10 finish but, at 11-8 with a fourth place ACC finish, 2009 was an off-year for Virginia. Inconsistency marked the entire season, with the team at times looking like they would challenge for the NCAA final and then others looking like they weren't even in the running for the Virginia "State Championship". (Laxword) — Cavaliers round out the regularly dominate ACC contingent. Probably a disappointing season by Hoo standards. (Lionwatcher) — 11-8 and a close game with Duke put the end to a season that was a roller coaster for the Cavs. Time to make some changes for next year! (MDLaxManiac) — #11. So much potential, so little to show for it!! (mytwokeepers) — Eight losses is a lot for any Cav teams ... but consider that six of those losses were dealt by Northwestern, Maryland, UNC, and Duke - all in my Top 5. (socrlaxdad) — Kimberly Caldwell - looked good early but never lived up to their appearance, best effort of the first round, taking Duke into OT. (UnderArmourOdor) — Eleven wins and eight losses. The cardiac kids come close to flat lining. The Cavaliers lose to ODU after VT defeats ODU. Virginia even played Northwestern tough. Bottom line, it still means something to beat the Cavaliers. (WLaxinator) Boston University: The Terriers ran through the America East and the northeast once again as Sarah Dalton led the way for BU. With a supporting cast of McKinley Curro, Traci Landy and Erica Baumgartner in the attack, Dalton led the Terriers back to the NCAAs. (draw18) — #12. Very close to Vandy. Dartboard says 12. (Glaxrdaddy) — #10 - Being the class of the American East and New England doesn't seem to get the Terriers very far in the NCAA tournament. (johnnyboy) — Terriers need to continue to strengthen their non-league/non-New England schedule, or they will always be a middle of the pack Top 20 team. (Laxword) — Another strong season by the Terriers. However, need to strengthen the schedule if they want to run with the big Dogs. (Lionwatcher) — Great season and here's to a stronger schedule next year! (Lucky Laxer) — 15-5 BU had a good season. Ranked #12 in LaxPower's numerical rankings, they are #8 in my poll. (MDLaxManiac) — #12. A season for BU to be proud of, but will hopefully be the motivation to help spur the Terriers next season. (mytwokeepers) — A 13-game winning streak this season shows that the Terriers are on the brink ... a little tougher out-of-conference schedule may help them come tournament time. (socrlaxdad) — Brooke White - everyone kept waiting for the big move, but Terriers were doubled up by Orange in first round. (UnderArmourOdor) — My #12. Fifteen wins and four losses. (WLaxinator) Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt welcomed some significant players to the roster this year, and Ally Carey and Natalie Wills produced for the Dores. With Sarah Downing having an All-American year and Alex Mundy and Cara Giordano stepping it up for Vandy, the Nashville school placed itself squarely in the hunt. (draw18) — #11. Toss-up with BU. Good showing against NU tipped it. Number 11. (Glaxrdaddy) — #12 - I didn't have the Commodores on the Top 20 map, thinking this would be a transition year for them. Well, they rebuilt the offense quickly but learned you can't outscore your way to the top. If they can add a stingier defense in 2010 ... (johnnyboy) — 'Dores slipped at the end, losing three of the last five games, but making the ALC final was good enough to make the Dance, where they lost their rematch with Notre Dame. (Laxword) — Commodores return from a number of years at sea to reassert themselves into the nation spotlight. However, a couple of games where they did not show up did them in. (Lionwatcher) — 10-7 Vandy was ranked #10 in LaxPower's rankings because they play NU 2x. (MDLaxManiac) — #14. Inconsistency left Vanderbilt as my most confusing team of the year. (mytwokeepers) — 'Dores had a solid season, but poor results against the best teams keep them out of the top 10. (socrlaxdad) — Kelly Pickler - these Southern Belles had their moments, but the Irish sent them home. (UnderArmourOdor) — Ten wins and seven losses. (WLaxinator) Stanford: Lauren Schmidt led an imposing Cardinal team to the brink of the NCAA tournament, but Stanford will ride this motivation through to 2010. Annie Read started it off at the Farm in the cage, and Julie Christy and the Nesbits were significant contributors to a championship team. The loss to Perlman didn't help the cause, but Stanford was just ever so close to making it. It should take nothing away from a quality effort from a quality team. (draw18) — #14. Some thought they should have been a selection after taking Penn in Philly. It wasn't to be, but they earned a lot of respect nonetheless. Up three slots to 14. (Glaxrdaddy) — #13 - Cardinal proved they are best in the West, and rang up a nice victory over Penn late in the season. Too bad that victory didn't come earlier in the year. I wish there had been room in the NCAA tourney for Stanford: I think they may have represented themselves well. (johnnyboy) — A 14-4 record and a late season upset of Penn was not enough to land the Cardinal a ticket to the dance. Bring on the AQ. (Laxword) — Moves up a few spots with the Upset Redux. Probably cost the Quakers a trip to championship Sunday. (Lionwatcher) — Tremendous job by Bokker. Will expect them to be even higher next year. I thought they deserved to dance. The conference should have an AQ in 2010. (Lucky Laxer) — 14-4 Cardinals had a great season. Should have made NCAA tournament? LaxPower numerical says #14. I think they are #13 this year! (MDLaxManiac) — #10. Beating UPenn is all you need to tell me about the strength of this team at year end. Go Cardinal. (mytwokeepers) — Best team not to play in the NCAA tourney ... first-year coach Amy Bokker and the Cardinal had a terrific season, including a huge upset of the Quakers at Penn to close out their schedule. (socrlaxdad) — Allison Iraheta - West Coast sensation made a lot of noise rocking Penn in last week of regular season. (UnderArmourOdor) — My #11. Fourteen wins and four losses. HUGE win against Penn partly offsets losses to Syracuse, Notre Dame, Maryland, and North Carolina. (WLaxinator) Ohio State: Another great find in Alayna Markwordt for Ohio State, who raised eyebrows during the season. Kelly Haggerty was one of the top players in the nation and helped lead OSU to the top-20. Play was solid up and down the field for the Buckeyes, who received strong contributions from Gabby Capuzzi, Jayme Beard and Maghan Beaudrault. (draw18) — #15. Some strong games against ranked teams (one-goal loss to MD, two-goal to Vandy) but two losses in two weeks to Penn State drops the Buckeyes to 15. (Glaxrdaddy) — #17 - Quietly had a good season (except for the last three games). (johnnyboy) — Resurgent Ohio State was one of the feel good stories of 2009, but they slide with two losses to Penn State at the end of the season. (Laxword) — Surprise of the year number 2 (after the Terps). Finally resurrected the program to prominence after a number of year of obscurity. (Lionwatcher) — 11-6 - Another surprise team, but they need to play more games with stronger teams. (MDLaxManiac) — #16. Strong goalkeeping was the formula for Ohio State's fairly successful year. Not enough team depth to crack the top 15. (mytwokeepers) — Beat every team they should beat - every loss was to a higher ranked team. The Buckeyes will have to find a way to win a couple of shockers each year in order to get to the next level. (socrlaxdad) — Tamyra Gray and Buckeyes seemed destined for bigger things, but neither finished in the money. (UnderArmourOdor) — My #15. Eleven wins and six losses. (WLaxinator) Penn State: A young team for the most part, the Nittany Lions showed signs of their resurgence with a runner-up finish at the ALC tournament behind great play from Steph Ellis and Ashley Boccio. With Zichelli, Dunbar, Josephs and Bucci all returning, Happy Valley will be just that-happy. (draw18) — #13. Played NU twice in three weeks (there should be some trophy for that) and defeated Ohio State twice in the same period. Move up two slots to 13. (Glaxrdaddy) — #16 - I struggle putting PSU this high, but they finished on a high note with two late season wins over a good Ohio State team and went to their conference tournament final. (johnnyboy) — Nice to see the Nittany Lions back in the rankings. Finally winning the games they are supposed to while continuing to scare higher ranked opponents. (Laxword) — Closed the season with a nice win against the Buckeyes, before being vaporized by the Deathstar, moves the Lions up a few notches in my book. Isidor opening again for the Lions to be a regular fixture in the rankings? (Lionwatcher) — #15. Talent can win many games, but lack of cohesion will trump talent every time. (mytwokeepers) — Nittany Lions suffer same inconsistency bug that plagues Dartmouth. (socrlaxdad) — Jennifer Hudson and Nittany Lions didn’t get a chance to shine in the finals. (UnderArmourOdor) — Nine wins and eight losses. It was the best of years. It was the worst of years. (WLaxinator) Dartmouth: Julie Wadlund anchored a strong squad in the Big Green, who held their own despite a tough schedule. With Kat Collins and Colleen Olsen leading the charge, Sarah Plumb stepped in as a rookie and made some excellent contributions as the Women of Dartmouth returned to the national scene. (draw18) — #16. Late-season losses to BU, Syracuse, and Duke drop them one slot to 16. (Glaxrdaddy) — #18 - Some good wins and some lousy losses but the arrow seems to be pointing the Green upward. (johnnyboy) — Big Green are slowly rebuilding but showed the inconsistency of youth. (Laxword) — Leaving the Green here, but I am not sure why. Lose to orange and blue (devils) say that they do not belong higher. But lower? (Lionwatcher) — #17. Close losses were the trademark of Dartmouth's season. (mytwokeepers) — Big Green inconsistencies must be addressed. (socrlaxdad) — Jasmine Trias and Big Green both finished third, so judges said no tourney. (UnderArmourOdor) — Eight wins and eight losses. (WLaxinator) Towson: After Fratzke went down, it looked like it might be a long year for the Tigers. Yet Towson refused to look at the negative, and Nikki Marciniak and Julie Ondrako led the reigning CAA Champs back to the big dance. Mary Teeters stepped into the cage and played like a veteran, a harbinger for the strength of Towson for 2010. (draw18) — #20. Tournament AQ, but blown out by the Heels, 15-4. (Glaxrdaddy) — #15 - The most impressive aspect to the Tigers 2009 season is how much they achieved and how they adjusted to the loss of their top player early in the season. It's a team game!!! (johnnyboy) — Tigers came out on top in topsy-turvey Colonial. Kudos to the team for pulling together after loss of Fratzke. (Laxword) — Towson in the tourney was a nice turn. Real solid season with a nice win against Bill and Mary and a close one with Delaware. (Lionwatcher) — 13-6 Tigers were ranked #19 in the LaxPower rankings. They only beat one top-20 team this year. (MDLaxManiac) — #13. Great season for Towson capped by the CAA championship and the disappointed, but expected loss to UNC in the opening round of the NCAA. (mytwokeepers) — CAA champs ... good year despite injuries at critical times. (socrlaxdad) — Melinda Doolittle and Tigers had good runs but were doomed with back-up roles when Tar Heels took the lead role. (UnderArmourOdor) — Thirteen wins and six losses. (WLaxinator) Loyola: With the arrival of Jen Adams to Evergreen came a return to the nation's elite. Grace Gavin, Colleen O'Keefe and Cara Filippelli all played a big roles in helping the Hounds make a statement in the Big East--and one that will remain for a while. (draw18) — #17. An up and down year. Young team, will be back. (Glaxrdaddy) — #14 - Nice to see the Greyhounds back in the Top 20 running. Loss to Louisville hurt their NCAA chances but have to think they feel pretty good about 2009. (johnnyboy) — Nice to see the Greyhounds come back under JA. Surprising wins coupled with surprising losses marked the season for a rebuilding team, but everything seems to be in place for next year. (Laxword) — Surprise of the year number 3. Hounds back in the hunt with the Adams family sneaking up on some top teams. I think we should stay tuned to this station for some improved programing next year. (Lionwatcher) — The Terphounds had, arguably, the biggest in-season improvement of any team this year. A trip down-under for some home cooking and who knows what we'll see next spring! (Lucky Laxer) — 11-6 and great turnaround year for Hounds under new head coach. Great things are yet to come for this team! (MDLaxManiac) — #21. The Greyhounds are the first runner-up to my top 20. (mytwokeepers) — 'Hounds rebound from a four-year funk with a very solid season for first year coach Adams. (socrlaxdad) — Megan Joy and Terphounds looked very good but kind of just moved in place after catching everyone’s eye. (UnderArmourOdor) — Eleven wins and six losses. Loyola wins "Most Improved" hands down. (WLaxinator) New Hampshire: #18. 10-goal loss to BU in conference final. Down a slot to 18. (Glaxrdaddy) — Solid year in a league that gets no respect. (Laxword) — Cold Cats (I guess they are both cold cats) again move into the top 20 with a solid season. Cats need to set their sites on the Terriers to move into the tournament. (Lionwatcher) — Perennial America East #2 had a solid season. (socrlaxdad) Fairfield: Mike Waldvogel did a great job with the Stags and Coleman certainly earned her All-American honors as Fairfield made the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. The Stags need to feed off this momentum and pick up a couple of solid games next season to get themselves in a nice position. (draw18) — On the cusp. Strong tournament loss to Penn. (Glaxrdaddy) — #20 - The Stags made the best of their season, took their conference, won the NCAA play in game and then provided Penn a real challenge in the tourney. (johnnyboy) — The Stags proved they belonged in the Dance. They also proved they belong in the top 20! (Lucky Laxer) — 17-3, MAAC champions, win NCAA play-in game, play UPenn to a two-goal 10-8 loss! Outstanding team and coaches! Congratulations, Stags! NCAA RPI poll had them at #15. First-year head coach was robbed of COY!! Team deserves Top 20 ranking!! (MDLaxManiac) — #20. The Stags have forced their way into my consciousness with their strong season. (mytwokeepers) — MAAC champs gave Penn a scare in the NCAA first round. 17 wins - very nice! (socrlaxdad) — Alexis Grace, like Stags, made the dance and got a chance to shine. Breakthrough season. (UnderArmourOdor) — Unranked - About as good a year as a team outside the Top 20 can have. (WLaxinator) William & Mary: The Tribe had one of their finest teams in recent history in 2009, starting with Grace Golden and Ashley Holofcener. Emily Geary and Sarah Jonson in the defense were outstanding, and Mary Zulty and Molly Wannen helped push the Tribe to the regular-season title in the CAA. (draw18) — #18. Split with Towson. Some very impressive work this year. (Glaxrdaddy) — Good to see the CAA moving up with multiple teams in the top 20. Beating each other up is nice also. Love that parity. (Lionwatcher) — Halfpenny squeezed every red cent out of out of this year. Onward and upward; GO TRIBE! (Lucky Laxer) — Ten wins and seven losses. (WLaxinator) Cornell: The Big Red made noise with a number of quiet players who made big contributions. Tissy O'Connor was a great defender all season long, and Libby Johnson played a key role in an attack that was not given much thought at the start of the season. Jess Weigand and Deirdre Lafferty helped Cornell earn a lot of respect throughout 2009. (draw18) — #19 - Big Red edge into top 20 with their victories over Vanderbilt and New Hampshire and Hofstra. (johnnyboy) — Kimberly Locke and the Big Red had their moments during the season. (UnderArmourOdor) Colgate: 14-5 - They were #16 in the NCAA playoffs and UM took them apart. (MDLaxManiac) — Patriot League champs ... yet a bittersweet season ending against the Terps. (socrlaxdad) — Lil Rounds stuck around longer. (UnderArmourOdor) Massachusetts: The Minutewomen went dancing this season for the first time since 1984 thanks to the senior leadership of Holly Drown and Meghan Reddy. With super sophs Jackie Lyons and Haley Smith back for Alexis Venechanos, the music won't stop in 2010. (draw18) — Another cusp team that will make some waves next year. (Glaxrdaddy) — Minutewomen moving in the right direction and could be a force to be reckoned with over the next few years, but a woodie for the draw? (Lionwatcher) — #18. The A-10 championship earned UMass its first trip to the NCAAs in a long time. I think things are looking up in Amherst. (mytwokeepers) — A-10 champs had a solid season. (socrlaxdad) — Like Bikini Girl, it was over quickly. (UnderArmourOdor) Old Dominion: Kudos to Sue Stahl for her ability to forge, yet again, a winning team and leading the Monarchs to the post season. Kelly Kimener led the way for ODU, who used a precocious freshman in the cage to earn a seed in the CAA tournament as well as knock off Virginia for the first time in history. With the new facility and coach like Stahl, we have not heard the last of ODU. (draw18) — On the cusp of the top 20 - ODU gave us one of the biggest upsets this season. Also thinking of New Hampshire and Hofstra. (johnnyboy) — 11-5 ODU knocked off UVa and lost to Va Tech, UNC, UD (2x) and W&M. Great season! (MDLaxManiac) — Monarchs failed to turn a solid regular season into CAA tourney success. (socrlaxdad) — My #20. Eleven wins and five losses. Win against Virginia meant a lot. (WLaxinator) Delaware: Late season run gets Delaware a mention. Looking for continued good things. (Lionwatcher) — #19. A one-goal loss to Towson in the CAA finals was all that kept the Hens out of the Big Dance. (mytwokeepers) Hofstra: Other Teams Pollsters Considered (and comments, if any) Louisville: 2009 surprises - Nabbed the fourth spot of the Big East tourney by knocking off Loyola. Have to put St. Joseph's, Stanford, and Delaware here too. (johnnyboy) Richmond: Tough seasons - The Spiders epitomize this group for me but are joined by Hopkins, Yale, Cal, Denver, Rutgers, and JMU. (johnnyboy) Boston College: Saint Francis: Congratulations on the win. Keep up the good work. (Lionwatcher) Fresno State: Welcome to the real world. Seriously, continue the hard work and good things will come. (Lionwatcher) Howard: Welcome to the real world. Seriously, continue the hard work and good things will come. (Lionwatcher) Saint Joseph's: Unranked - Good year all around. (WLaxinator) | |||||
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