Bracketology: NCAA Division II Tournament
by Chris Gentilviso | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
With May just around the corner, the playoff picture is growing clearer for the four- and six-team fields in the NCAA Division II men's and women's lacrosse championships, respectively.
Here's a look at the contenders.
DIVISION II MEN
Who’s likely to qualify:
No. 1 Le Moyne (12-0, 9-0 Northeast 10) -- The
Dolphins are one of two perfect D-II teams in the standings. They
survived one-goal scares against Mars Hill and Bentley and earned a
narrow two-goal win early in the season over No. 4 Limestone. The
Dolphins should earn the North region nod, and have a chance to
make their fifth straight national title game appearance.
No. 4 Limestone (11-1, 5-0 Conference Carolinas)
-- The Saints have won nine straight contests, with their
only blemish this season coming in that 8-6 loss to Le Moyne at a
neutral site back in early March. Barring a loss on the road to
Catawba (8-7) on Saturday, Limestone stands as the favorite for the
South region nod.
Who’s on the bubble:
No. 2 Mercyhurst (12-0, 8-0 East Coast Conference)
-- The Lakers have already had a banner season, setting a
school record for consecutive wins with their 12-game hot streak.
But their toughest test comes on Saturday at home against a big
conference rival in defending national champion C.W. Post. A win
this weekend would be a defining step toward being named the
Central region representative.
No. 3 Dowling (10-1, 7-1 East Coast Conference)
-- Minus an early March setback at home to Mercyhurst, the
Golden Lions have been one of the hottest teams in Division II.
They've taken care of business on the defensive end, holding their
opponents to eight or fewer goals in 10 games this season. Over the
next two weeks, wins against upstart Chestnut Hill and Seton Hill
would tighten their grip on a postseason berth.
No. 5 C.W. Post (12-1, 7-1 East Coast Conference) -- Until April 10, the Pioneers were cruising. With the 2009 national championship and a 10-0 start in their possession, the nation's No. 1 team controlled its destiny. Then, Dowling showed up at Hickox Field and pulled off an 8-7 upset. But with a win over Mercyhurst this weekend, the Pioneers' postseason ship can be steered back on track toward an at-large bid
DIVISION II WOMEN
Barring a meltdown in this weekend's PSAC tournament, the six contenders for the NCAA Division II women's lacrosse tournament appears fairly set.
Who's likely to get in:
No. 1 Adelphi (14-0, 11-0 Northeast 10) -- The
defending national champions have carried their momentum into 2010,
extending their win streak to 32 games. Which team was last to
defeat them? This Saturday's opponent and Long Island rival -- No.
2 C.W. Post -- in the 2008 NCAA Division II semifinals. Revenge or
repeat? That's to be determined.
No. 2 C.W. Post (14-1, 6-0 East Coast Conference)
-- If it were not for a double-overtime loss on the road
against Lock Haven, this Saturday's game in Garden City, N.Y. would
pit two unbeaten clubs. With 91 goals in their last four wins, the
Pioneers will need every bit of that offense to upset the Panthers
and make an early postseason statement.
No. 3 Lock Haven (14-1, 10-1 PSAC) -- Last
weekend's 11-10 loss at No. 4 Mercyhurst snapped Lock Haven's
13-game win streak. But thanks to a tough schedule, that included
wins over both the Pioneers and the Saints, the Lady Eagles are in
good shape to make another run at a national championship. Next up
is the PSAC conference tournament semifinals on Friday against
Bloomsburg (12-5).
No. 4 Mercyhurst (16-2, 9-1 PSAC) -- Fresh off
their first-ever NCAA berth in 2009, the Lakers are poised to
return to the postseason. They've already eclipsed last year's
14-win total, doing so in style with that 11-10 home win over Lock
Haven to close out the regular season. While Gannon eliminated them
in the PSAC quarterfinals, the Lakers are in strong position to
improve upon last year's first-round NCAA loss to those same Lady
Eagles.
No. 5 Limestone (17-1, 7-0 Conference Carolinas)
-- Winners of 11 straight contests, the Saints have
already captured the Conference Carolinas tournament title. They
face off against unranked Rollins at home on Saturday, and with an
NCAA bid, will look to avenge a narrow 13-12 loss to Lock Haven in
last year's semifinals action.
No. 6 West Chester (16-0, 11-0 PSAC) -- West
Chester ran through its regular season schedule and showed it can
perform in the clutch, earning a pair of triple-overtime wins
against Dowling and Gannon. Now, the Golden Rams will face that
same Gannon (12-6) team in the PSAC semifinals on Friday -- a club
that just upset Mercyhurst in the conference quarterfinals.
