Bullets Back in Top 5 of USA Lacrosse Division III Women's Top 20

Teams are rounding the final bend of the 2024 regular season, and with that, movement within the USA Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20 is getting harder to come by.

This week’s heavyweight bout between Gettysburg and Franklin & Marshall felt like it could happen again in mid-May, but outside of that battle on Wednesday, it was a calm and quiet week.

The Bullets and Diplomats traded blows all game long in the Centennial Conference matchup; neither team ever led by more than two goals. Early on, it was Maddie Passarello leading the offensive charge for Gettysburg. She scored four goals Wednesday, bringing her total up to 14.

Late in the fourth quarter and down one, though, the Bullet veterans took charge. Caroline Sullivan hadn’t found the back of the net until her game-tying goal with three minutes to play. And Jordan Basso tidied it up in regulation with a go-ahead goal with 68 seconds remaining. Gettysburg goalkeeper Gillian Cortese made 15 saves in the win.

That game allowed the Bullets to re-enter the top five this week, shaking things up a little bit near the top. Take a look at the changes in this week’s Top 20.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
WOMEN’S TOP 20

1. Middlebury, 14-0 (Prev: 1)
2. Wesleyan, 12-2 (Prev: 2)
3. Tufts, 12-2 (Prev: 3)
4. William Smith, 14-2 (Prev: 5)
5. Gettysburg, 13-2 (Prev: 8)
6. Franklin & Marshall, 13-3 (Prev: 4)
7. Washington and Lee, 12-3 (Prev: 6)
8. Salisbury, 11-3 (Prev: 7)
9. TCNJ, 10-4 (Prev: 9)
10. Pomona-Pitzer, 13-1 (Prev: 10)
11. Colby, 10-4 (Prev: 11)
12. Ithaca, 13-1 (Prev. 12)
13. Roanoke, 13-3 (Prev: 14)
14. Stevens, 12-3 (Prev. 13)
15. York, 9-6 (Prev: 15)
16. MIT, 13-3 (Prev. 16)
17. Christopher Newport, 12-4 (Prev. 17)
18. Amherst, 8-6 (Prev. 18)
19. Babson, 13-2 (Prev. 20)
20. Williams, 7-6 (Prev. 19)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Chicago, Hamilton, Haverford, Shenandoah, Trinity

HOT

Gettysburg (+3)

Gettysburg might have scored a big win this week, but it's been building momentum for a while now. The Bullets have won nine straight to climb back near their preseason ranking and re-insert themselves into the upper-echelon of ranked teams.

Babson (+1)

Babson and Williams trade places near the bottom of the rankings as the Beavers gear up for the NEWMAC conference tournament. They got the better of MIT in the first encounter less than two weeks ago, and those teams continue to jockey for the conference lead.

NOT

Franklin & Marshall (-2)

Franklin & Marshall finds itself just outside the top 5 this week, flipping positioning with Gettysburg after the loss. The Diplomats followed that contest up with a win over Haverford.

Stevens (-1)

The Ducks take a slight dip this week following a loss to Scranton on Sunday – not that a move from 13 to 14 means very much at this point in the year. They’ve got a pair of matchups this week before kicking off their conference tournament.