2016 MAY MADNESS
Five teams that could pose a threat come May.
DUE FOR A BREAKTHROUGH
BOSTON COLLEGE LEADER: SARAH MANNELLY, SR. M
The Eagles lost three
of their fi rst seven games, but none of those were unranked competition, and they fi nally got a signature win in beating Syracuse 13-8 on March 19. That was the team’s fi rst ACC win of the year, and although it was followed by a fourth loss to North Carolina, the 13-12 result was still a sign Boston College can compete with the best.
USC LEADER: MICHAELA MICHAEL, JR. A
Some would argue that USC had its breakthrough season last year, when the Trojans made their fi rst NCAA tournament appearance and even got a fi rst round win. However, they’ve taken a huge step this season, earning their fi rst ever win against a Top 10 opponent. USC beat then- No. 5 Duke to avenge its second-round tournament loss and also topped an 11th- ranked Stony Brook team that defeated the Trojans in the 2015 regular season.
DUKE
LEADER: KELSEY DURYEA, SR. G
How do you make a case
for the Blue Devils after they fell to unranked Elon and Georgetown? They expected some ups and downs this season after graduating their top four scorers, but after witnessing a commanding 16-5 win over then-No. 5 Louisville (the Cards were 12-1 at press time), coach Kerstin Kimel is hoping Duke has turned a corner that breeds more consistency down the stretch.
STONY BROOK LEADER: COURTNEY MURPHY, JR. A
After dropping three of their fi rst fi ve games, including a pair of 7-6 defeats at the hands of Florida and Northwestern, the Seawolves were due for a big win. It came in the form of a 17-7 rout of Stanford on March 26. Only time will tell if they’ve truly turned a corner.
– Laurel Pfahler
NORTHWESTERN LEADER: KALEIGH CRAIG, SR. M
The Wildcats opened the season 4-4 while playing the toughest schedule in the nation, according to LaxPower, and last year’s Lacrosse Magazine Rookie of the Year Selena Lasota also got off to a slow start compared to standards she set in 2015. Northwestern has a championship history, though, so it’s only a matter of pulling through when it counts the most.
BY THE NUMBERS 1 Final four berth for
Florida in 2012, to add to its four quarterfi nal appearances. But the Gators are still looking for their fi rst NCAA trophy. Holding the No. 2 spot at press time, Florida could make it back to the fi nal four – or beyond. Read how the former underdog has helped close the gap against traditional powerhouses at
LaxMagazine.com/ MayMadness.
75 15.25 Percentage increase
in NCAA championship game attendance from 2005 to 2015. The 2014 championship between Maryland and Syracuse drew an all-time high 10,311 fans. With 15 on-fi eld rule changes this spring, highlighted by self-restarts and sudden victory overtime, the goal to increase the pace of play was coupled with the hope to attract more fans.
Caused turnovers per
game by Notre Dame to rank No. 1 in Division I at press time. The defense and freshman goalie Samantha Giacolone a big reason the Irish are in the NCAA title talk. Offense wins games, defense wins championships and all that jazz. Read how defense can become a team’s best offensive weapon at
LaxMagazine.com/ MayMadness.
35 36 LACROSSE MAGAZINE » May 2016
NCAA tournaments in the history of Division I women’s lacrosse, including 2016. Maryland and Northwestern have combined for 19 national titles in the past 34 years.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
©DIRK DEWACHTER (MM); ©GREG SHEMITZ (CM); ©MATT CASHORE (SG)
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