The first true weekend of Division III lacrosse kicks off this weekend with more games than any one person could handle. Being the first time many teams take the field, some of the top teams will not be playing teams of note. No matter, though – there are enough quality games on the schedule to keep you all busy while inevitably sitting inside during a winter weather catastrophe. One isn’t predicted, but you never know these days.
Gotta Watch ‘Em Top Three
- No. 1 Stevenson at No. 2 RIT, 4:00 p.m. Saturday – A rematch of last season’s national championship is being hyped up as the regular season game of the year and both fan bases are ready to go. With a ton of players from last year’s teams back in the fold, there should be a ton of goals and even more bad blood. The fact that they’re playing it at the Carrier Dome just makes it that much better.
- No. 7 Dickinson at No. 18 St. Mary’s, 1:00 p.m. Saturday – The Seahawks are fresh off a big win over Roanoke and will be looking to pull off a second Top-10 upset on Saturday against Dickinson. The Red Devils smoked SMCM, 19-5, last season and will have designs on pulling off a similar gameplan.
- No. 9 Nazareth vs. Springfield College, 12:00 p.m. Saturday – Probably the first one you’ll be able to pick up, the Golden Flyers welcome the Pride in a rematch of a 15-12 game from last season. It will be Nazareth’s first game of the season and our first look at this year’s edition of one of the most high-powered offenses in the country. Should be a fun one.
- No. 13 Stevens at Endicott, 4:30 p.m. Sunday – This game gets an honorable mention because it is the only game on Sunday featuring a Top 20 team. Stevens will be looking to replace one of the most decorated midfield units in college lacrosse history while Endicott will be replacing an All-American at the faceoff “x.” Should be interesting.
USILA Top 20
- Stevenson at RIT (Carrier Dome at Syracuse), 4:00 p.m. Saturday
- RIT vs. Stevenson (Carrier Dome at Syracuse), 4:00 p.m. Saturday
- Cortland vs. Albright, 1:00 p.m. Saturday
- Tufts
- Salisbury at Widener, 1:00 p.m.
- Cabrini
- Dickinson vs. St. Mary’s (at St. Paul’s School, Brooklandville, Md.), 1:00 p.m Saturday
- Roanoke
- Washington College
- Nazareth vs. Springfield, 12:00 p.m. Saturday
- Lynchburg vs. Franklin & Marshall, 1:00 p.m. Saturday
- Western New England
- Stevens at Endicott, 4:30 p.m. Sunday
- Washington & Lee vs. Denison, 1:00 p.m. Saturday
- Denison at Washington & Lee, 1:00 p.m. Saturday
- Wesleyan
- Ithaca
- St.Mary’s vs. Dickinson (at Brooklandville), 1:00 p.m. Saturday
- Middlebury
- Gettysburg vs. Messiah, 1:00 p.m. Saturday
