On Sunday, the lacrosse landscape got a sizable shake-up: No. 1 Maryland and No. 2 Albany both fell on the same day, just a couple hours apart.
With the regular season winding down and the postseason just around the corner, the potential for drama was high, and everyone delivered.
Ben Reeves takes on the ENTIRE defense.
鈥 草莓网站在线看 Lacrosse (@草莓网站在线看LAX)
Albany fell first, taking on No. 5 Yale in what had potential to be the game of the year before the Danes鈥 Connor Fields left the game with an injury. Albany is great, but its greatness is thanks in no small part to Fields鈥 talents.
The Bulldogs dominated en route to a 14-8 victory over the former top team in the nation.
MORE: Navy lacrosse scores two goals in the final 10 seconds to top Syracuse
Then, in the second upset, Ohio State fought tooth-and-nail against Maryland, going back and forth for 30 minutes before a strong start to the second half and a defensive-minded fourth quarter lifted the Buckeyes to a 12-10 win. This marked a bit of revenge for Ohio State, who lost to Maryland in last year's national championship game.
It was all pretty wild. (Elsewhere on Sunday, No. 10 Rutgers beat No. 11 Penn State, fairly soundly, to snap the Scarlet Knights' recent skid). This all means we鈥檙e going to see plenty of movement in both this week鈥檚 Inside Lacrosse poll and the 草莓网站在线看 committee鈥檚 Top 10 rankings.
With both No. 1 and No. 2 falling today, who will rise to the top of the men's lacrosse rankings tomorrow morning?
鈥 草莓网站在线看 Lacrosse (@草莓网站在线看LAX)
Let鈥檚 dive a little deeper for each team involved in Sunday鈥檚 madness.
What does this mean for鈥
鈥hio State?
The Buckeyes are still alive. A win against Rutgers would put OSU at 8-6 on the season (3-2 in the conference) and into the Big Ten conference tournament. From there, the Buckeyes can theoretically play their way into the 草莓网站在线看 tournament.
Some instant postgame reaction from Coach Myers, Colin Chell and Jack Jasinski. |
鈥 Ohio State Men's LAX (@OhioState_MLAX)
And in a season filled with upsets and undulations, don鈥檛 be surprised if the Buckeyes find a way to sneak in the field.
鈥补濒别?
The Elis might be the best team in the country right now. They鈥檝e lost just once since their season opener, dropping an overtime decision to Bucknell (the other hottest team in the country) on April 4.
Since then, Yale has reeled off four straight dominating wins, outscoring its opponents 72-32 along the way. They鈥檙e 11-2 now, and absolutely rolling heading into their season finale against Harvard.
RELATED: These are the season鈥檚 best 草莓网站在线看 lacrosse storylines 鈥 so far
The likely Yale-Cornell Ivy League championship should be incredible. First to 25 wins.
鈥补谤测濒补苍诲?
The Terps鈥 quest to go undefeated in the Big Ten for the second time in three years fell just short, but they shouldn鈥檛 be too concerned.
This is still an excellent lacrosse team, replete with experienced players and led by one of the best scorers in the nation in Connor Kelly, who scored four times Sunday.
Despite the loss, Connor Kelly comes back out to finish signing autographs after his media obligations.
鈥 Maryland Lacrosse (@TerpsMLax)
This is what it鈥檚 all about.
What it does mean, though, is they鈥檙e worth studying, because they can be beat. Half of Maryland鈥檚 10 wins have come by either one or two goals. They鈥檙e not bulletproof, even if they鈥檙e great.
鈥濒产补苍测?
The Danes are probably in trouble if Connor Fields is out for an extended period of time, but that鈥檚 obvious. He鈥檚 one of the best players in the nation, far and away the engine that powers Albany鈥檚 insane offense.
Albany is still the best team in the America East without him, though, and even if they fall to Vermont in the conference tournament they鈥檒l receive an at-large bid.
MORE LAX: The most recent 草莓网站在线看 committee's Top 10 rankings
What happens once they鈥檙e in the tournament, then, all relies on Fields鈥 availability.
鈥acrosse fans?
Nothing but fun, as always.
