We are just past the midway point in the women’s lacrosse world and the future field of 16 looks almost impossible to predict. With conference tournaments coming up, we will know some of the teams that will play in the NCAA Tournament in a few weeks. We will also know who will one step closer to the Tewaaraton Trophy when the nominees are released. Let’s take a look at who may be in contention now:
1. Shannon Smith, Senior, Attack, Northwestern
If not for Smith, the Wildcats may have had their first loss and subsequently lost their #1 ranking over the weekend. After her teammate Erin Fitzgerald hit a free position with 19 seconds left to force overtime against Ohio State, Smith scored two goals in the first overtime period to lead the Wildcats to victory at Gillette Stadium. This comes a couple weeks after she torched UMass for six goals in a double-digit victory at home. Currently she leads the #1 team in the nation with 35 goals, adding 11 assists and is still the favorite to win the Tewaaraton again.
2/3. Kitty Cullen/Ashley Bruns, Junior, Attack, Florida
You could choose a number of players from Florida for this list. The Florida offense has been extremely impressive, including 20 goals up on Dartmouth and Penn State, two of the strongest defensive teams in the country. Cullen has not played the last two games for the Gators, but she has 29 goals and 20 assists on the season. Her best game came against Dartmouth, putting up five goals and three assists against Kristen Giovanniello. Bruns has a good chance too, contributing 36 goals, 18 assists and 17 ground balls, including four goals against Dartmouth and Penn State. If Florida’s offense keeps this up, someone on the team will be on the final five.
4. Karri Ellen Johnson, Senior, Attack, Maryland
Put a ranked team in front of the Terrapins, it will not matter to Johnson. In the last couple of weeks, Maryland has faced Boston College, Stony Brook, James Madison, Towson and Penn, and Johnson put up at least four points in all those games, including five goals and an assist vs. Towson. She has had impact on offense with 37 goals and 13 assists and the draw, controlling 38 of them, plus has 11 caused turnovers.
5. Taylor Thornton, Junior, Defense, Northwestern
Thornton continues to be a threat everywhere on the field, on defense, offense and at center circle. In the close win over Ohio State, Thornton had a career-high nine draws plus a free position goal, a week after she had a hat trick and two caused turnovers against Vanderbilt. She stands in the top-50 in Division in draw controls, ground balls and caused turnovers per game, currently having 41 draws, 24 ground balls, 15 caused turnovers and 14 goals.
6. Becky Lynch, Senior, Attack, North Carolina
It was tough to choose between Lynch and Laura Zimmermann for this list, but the edge goes to Lynch for now. As of Tuesday, Lynch has 28 goals, 17 assists, 22 ground balls and 25 draw controls for the #2 team in the nation. She had a hat trick in the loss to Georgetown plus had two points, a goal and assist, in North Carolina’s 4-2 win over Duke. She has been a big factor on offense and the draw in all of UNC’s games against ranked opponents. But UNC’s placement at #2 will be tested, as Maryland, Northwestern and the ACC Tournament await the Tar Heels.
7. Michelle Tumolo, Junior, Attack, Syracuse
The Orange will be playing nine games in the month of April, and has only played eight games to this point. But Tumolo, who has 17 goals and 15 assists this season, has shown to be Syracuse’s most reliable player in the big games. Already having big performances against Maryland and Northwestern earlier, against Towson she scored five goals with three assists at home. She will need more performances like that to help Syracuse will its upcoming blitz.
8. Maggie Tamasitis, Senior, Attack, Notre Dame
Currently ranked third in the country in assists per game, the all-time assists leader at Notre Dame currently has 35 assists with 13 goals. Her play saved the Fighting Irish against Rutgers with two assists in the final minute of overtime to push Notre Dame to a 13-12 victory on the road. She has been important in the team’s biggest games, getting four assists in a win over Cornell and six points in the defeat to Loyola, the team’s first loss of the year.
9. Jessi Steinberg, Senior, Attack, Cornell
Cornell has been one of the biggest surprises of the year and is looking like a threat in the Ivy League, and Steinberg is a big reason why they are ranked. She is leading the team with 31 goals and 13 assists, and she has been contributing in every big game: four goals and two assists against Notre Dame, five goals versus Penn, and four goals in the win over Princeton. If Cornell can survive against the upcoming stretch of Dartmouth, Loyola and Syracuse, don’t be surprised if its name comes up in May.
10. Josie Owen, Senior, Attack, Virginia
After a loss to Princeton on March 17th, it looked as if Virginia was not going to the NCAA Tournament at 4-4. Four days later, Owen scored six goals with five draw controls and four ground balls in a win over James Madison, and since UVA has won four straight with wins over Duke, Old Dominion and Boston College. Against Duke she had five points with a pair of ground ball and a trio of draw. Owen has compiled 22 goals, 29 assists and 28 draw controls, and helped put the Cavaliers back in the discussion for the postseason.
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