With the Terrapin women’s lacrosse team upending current No. 1 North Carolina in the ACC Championship today, Inside Lacrosse and IWCLA have a tough decision to make: who is ranked No. 1?
The No. 3 Terps (15-1, 4-1 ACC) proved that they’re certainly worth the vote with a dominating performance against the Tar Heels (13-2, 4-1). This season, the top spot has only been held by two teams: North Carolina and Northwestern. The Tar Heels have held the spot for just this week, after knocking off the Wildcats on the road, 18-16.
But it’s hard not to put the Wildcats back at No. 1, since they’ve held the position for almost all this season. Northwestern responded from the Tar Heels upset with a 27-9 thrashing of Vanderbilt on Saturday.
I compared the two teams (Northwestern and the Terps) earlier this season when both still possessed undefeated records.
While Northwestern certainly showed why it should get the nod, the Terps quite possibly have a better case. Since losing to the Tar Heels, the Terps have reeled off four consecutive wins (@Princeton, vs. Virginia Tech, vs. No. 4 Virginia [ACC], vs. No. 1 UNC [ACC]). This weekend the Terps won two top-five games.
Inside Lacrosse release’s their poll around midday on Monday’s, so I’ll update this when it happens. If the Terps do take No. 1, then it would be the first time in Cathy Reese’s four-year coaching tenure.
Chris Eckard is the Diamondback’s Terrapin women’s lacrosse beat reporter. He can be reached at ceckard@umdbk.com