Forum Poll MD 3

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Received votes: Amherst (16), Clarkson (13), Tufts (5), Widener (3), Springfield (3), Eastern Connecticut (1), Stevens (1)

Number of voters: 15 (3lax40, beachbum, corkscrew, D-III, general21111, minkhoo, moty9, Richard, SacredLax, squash, Stugotz, The Professional, valaxfan, waclaxfan, wolverine)

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Pollster Comments

Whittier: One game in a month (against lowly Johnson St.), six D-III games total, two biggest wins were against the ODAC first round losers (over a month ago). No way this team deserves #1; they can prove me wrong in the NCAAs; for now their stock drops. (D-III) — If you listen closely, you can hear their joints rust. (general21111) — I hear these guys are good. I can hardly wait until they start playing (again). (minkhoo) — Whittier is waiting to prove all the doubters wrong! (moty9) — North or South? Cannot wait to see on Sunday. (SacredLax) — Good team, but schedule still a huge question in my mind. (Stugotz) — Who will be the lucky ones to travel to CA? (waclaxfan)

Salisbury: The War on the Shore will be fun! (D-III) — Trying to send a message in win over MWC. (general21111) — Another cruise through the Capital. The WOTS might just be the game of the year. (minkhoo) — One week til War on the Shore! I think Salisbury will win, but I am pulling for the WAC! (moty9) — They can prove a lot against WAC this week. Gettysburg win was impressive, but a WAC victory will show a lot. (SacredLax) — War on the Shore is a good tune up for the NCAAs. (waclaxfan)

Washington College: One of the hottest teams in the country right now, a contender to win it all. (D-III) — New king of the Centennial. (general21111) — Pretty much dismantled the field in the Centennial. I have a feeling the Shoremen are going undefeated from here on. (minkhoo) — It looks like the WAC is peeking at the right time of the season. (moty9) — Two good wins, peaking at the right time. (SacredLax) — Their defense gets its stiffest test yet with Salisbury. (waclaxfan) — Two impressive wins in the CC tournament. Did anyone think it would be that easy? No matter, the War on the Shore still looms for the Shoremen. (wolverine)

Middlebury: Made it through the NESCAC regular season undefeated, but need to stay focused next weekend to gain the AQ. Poised for a 4-peat. (D-III) — Quietly taking care of business. (general21111) — Another steady and strong Middlebury performance in the regular season. The Bombers and the Tigers are rooting for that performance to continue in the tourney. (minkhoo) — The offense may not seem to have the stark from last year, but they are still finding ways to win games. (moty9) — This is their time of year; this is when Middlebury shows just how good they are. Before they can start thinking about the NCAAs, they need to win a tough NESCAC tourney. (SacredLax) — Only one loss to G'burg in a monsoon. (waclaxfan)

Cortland: A genuine contender. (general21111) — Clicking on all cylinders right now, but there are a couple of teams that hope they don't overlook the SUNYAC tourney. (minkhoo) — Another team that seems to be firing on all cylinders. Let's see how they fare come tourney time. (moty9) — Playing well; should win their conference tournament. (SacredLax) — Should be a high seed in the tournament. (waclaxfan)

Lynchburg: Congrats! (D-III) — A team taking a lot of confidence into the tourney. (general21111) — ODAC champs riding the hot hand now after a so-so early season. Hornets are confident and will be a tough team to play in the NCAAs. (minkhoo) — I said it before: Lynchburg could be this year's sleeper! (moty9) — This team should make some noise in the tourney. (SacredLax) — Four losses but also some huge wins. (waclaxfan) — Peaking at just the right time, they've already beaten a #1 this year (Salisbury) - so look out Whittier ... (wolverine)

Hampden-Sydney: See Ithaca comments. (D-III) — A team on the slide--need Rostan to recover. (general21111) — Tigers seem to underperform at playoff time. Likely Pool C pick has the personnel to reverse this in the NCAAs. Can they actually do it? (minkhoo) — I never thought they deserved as high a ranking as they had before, and now a loss to W&L in the ODAC tourney proves it! (moty9) — Should get one of the pool C bids. (SacredLax) — Too good to not get in the tourney. (waclaxfan)

Nazareth: Surprise team of the year, they will be a tough out in the NCAAs! (D-III) — Big win over Ithaca. (general21111) — E8 champs are playing well; will be a force in the NCAAs. (minkhoo) — Another shocker over Ithaca!! (moty9) — Got a good win when they needed it, will take the Empire 8 AQ and show how good they are. (SacredLax) — That win over WAC looks better every week. (waclaxfan) — These guys knew they needed the E8 title to make the tournament, and they delivered. (wolverine)

Ithaca: Holding their breath until Selection Sunday. (D-III) — Very close loss to Naz. (general21111) — Best win is an early season victory against Wesleyan. Close losses to Cortland and Naz may be good enough for Pool C bid. It will be a long wait until Sunday for the Bombers. They better root for BOTH the Panthers and Dragons. (minkhoo) — Couldn't pull off a should-be win against Nazareth! (moty9) — Tough loss to Naz. Good chance they will receive the second pool C bid. (SacredLax)

Washington & Lee: Just a goal short of the ODAC. (general21111) — Generals will need to find some offense next season. 4-4 against the T20 and averaging only 7 goals per game? Amazing defense, but ... (minkhoo) — Big win over #3 HS!!! (moty9) — Good win vs. HS, but a close one to Lynchburg. Tough to end your season in OT. (SacredLax) — One goal away from the tournament. (waclaxfan)

Franklin & Marshall: A good year to build on. (general21111) — Dream season fizzled at the end. (minkhoo) — Tough loss to the WAC but still a top ten team!! (moty9) — A good year for the Dips. A team on the rise. (waclaxfan)

Gettysburg: Staying home this year. (general21111) — Surprising tail-off in second half of season; offensive woes doomed the Bullets. (minkhoo) — A sad offensive and defensive season for the Bullets!! (moty9) — Two good wins over McDaniel, but they couldn't pull it out over WAC. (SacredLax) — Played well early in the year and then fell apart. (waclaxfan) — When was the last time these guys were done playing before May? (wolverine)

Rensselaer: The UCAA tourney is going to be an amazing battle. Whoever wins this will be a tough out in the NCAAs. (minkhoo) — Win over SLU gives RPI a lot of confidence! (moty9) — May make the tournament with the AQ from the UCAA over Hamilton and St. Lawrence. (SacredLax)

McDaniel: Two losses to Gburg determines rank. (general21111) — Green Terror just can't quite get to top level in the Centennial. Three losses to end their season and hopes. (minkhoo) — Only had one big win this season against F&M; maybe a little overrated with two losses to a weak Gettysburg team. (moty9) — Three losses in one week is a tough way to end a good year. (waclaxfan) — Finished the season with three straight losses. No early season tests hurt them when it came time to play the big boys. (wolverine)

Hamilton: See RPI. (minkhoo) — People need to keep an eye on this team. (waclaxfan)

Roanoke: Ran out of gas at the end. (general21111) — The 'noke is not quite "back"; 1-5 against T20 teams put the Maroons "back" to where I had them in the opening poll, #20. (minkhoo) — Still a great team even though dropping two straight to Lynchburg!! (moty9) — Tough schedule means they needed to win the ODAC. (waclaxfan)

Ohio Wesleyan: Sleeper. (general21111) — The "other" Pool B. Bishops are winning big against iffy teams. (minkhoo) — Nice win over CC; should get the 2nd pool B bid. (SacredLax) — Will we see the real Bishops in the tournament? (waclaxfan)

St. Lawrence: See RPI. (minkhoo) — Fairytale beginning, but not much improvement since then. (moty9)

Geneseo: Blue Knights are playing well. Who knows what could happen in the SUNYAC tourney? (minkhoo) — 2nd best in the SUNYAC. If they play at their best, they can definitely pull out an upset in the conference tourney. (SacredLax)

Wesleyan: I really have no idea who is the second best team in the NESCAC, but the Cardinals may just be it, or maybe the Lord Jeffs, or the Jumbos, or maybe the ... I guess we will find out this week. (minkhoo) — They still have a legit shot at the NCAAs. (SacredLax)

Amherst: Made up for the loss to Williams when it matters, in their conference tourney. (moty9) — They still have a legit shot at the NCAAs. (SacredLax)

Eastern Connecticut: We will see if Eastern is deserving of a ranking come tourney time. I just can't think of other teams that are deserving. (moty9)