Over the next few weeks, we will be previewing the Top 20 teams in Division III according to Inside Lacrosse’s Face-Off Yearbook rankings. Two teams will be featured each day so be sure to check out the front page for all of the updates as we countdown to the 2014 season. Click here to see a full archive of the Top 20 Countdown.
(For those who may not have noticed, I totally skipped this one on our way up [down?] the rankings. Apologies.)
No. 19 Ithaca
2013 Record: 12-6, 5-2 Empire 8
Last Game: Empire 8 Championship, 12-10 L vs. Nazareth
Scoring Average: 10.66 goals per game, 6.88 goals allowed
Returning Leading Scorer: Pat Slawta, Sr. – 24 goals, 23 assists, 47 points
Ithaca ended its season on something of a high note, avenging a blowout loss in the regular season finale against Stevens with a win in the Empire 8 Tournament semi-finals before falling to a red-hot Nazareth team that earned its conference title. Returning for the Bombers will be their two top scorers from a year ago which should give them an opportunity to repeat some of 2013’s success. Pat Slawta and All-American Jake Long (37 goals, 7 assists) will spearhead an Ithaca offense that will have the likes of fellow Top 20 teams Nazareth and Stevens to deal with during the conference season. Also returning is 2013 goalkeeper Scott Sidnam for his sophomore season. Sidnam started all 18 games last year and posted an impressive 6.99 goals against average and 61.1 save percentage.
The Bombers have lined up quite the non-conference schedule to match their tough Empire 8 slate. RIT will be a good early test before back-to-back games with Cabrini and Cortland come smack in the middle of the Empire 8 season.
No. 18 Gettysburg
2013 Record: 9-7, 5-3 Centennial
Last Game: Centennial Tournament, 10-8 L vs. Franklin & Marshall
Scoring Average: 10.62 goals per game, 8.75 goals allowed
Leading Returning Scorer: Martin Manilla, Sr. – 24 goals, 24 assists, 48 points
2013 was a long season for Gettysburg, but when five of your 16 games come against ranked teams the deck is stacked against you — although that wasn’t ultimately their undoing. The Bullets managed wins over Lynchburg and Washington College, losing its contests with Salisbury, Cabrini, and Dickinson by a combined six goals. Gettysburg returns its top four scorers, headlined by senior attackman Martin Manilla. Robby Maddux (35, 11), Jameson Smith (25, 17), and Bijan Firouzan (20,17) were Nos. 2-4, respectively before you get to players who have since left the season. With so much scoring back, its hard to imagine a second-straight season with less than 10 wins.
Standing in the way of that, however, is the same slate of top teams that faced the Bullets last year. Salisbury, Lynchburg, Cabrini, Dickinson, and Washington College headline a schedule that also includes an up-and-coming Eastern team, the Franklin & Marshall team that ended its season last year, and an always-tough Muhlenberg squad.
