HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's lacrosse team remains steady at No. 23 in the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) National Coaches' Poll in Monday's release following a split last week.
Haverford fell to then-No. 16 Amherst in a top-25 matchup on Wednesday, 16-11, despite strong offensive performances from Bella Gattuso and Tiffany Mikulis. Amherst, which surged to No. 13 in the latest poll following the victory, overcame Haverford's early lead with a balanced attack in the second half.
The Fords rebounded on Saturday with a narrow 13-12 win over Ursinus in their Centennial Conference opener, led by Brooke Epstein's five-point effort and a milestone performance from Mikulis, who recorded her 200th career draw control.
In total, 25 teams are represented in the poll, with voters—college coaches from across the nation—assessing the latest developments in women's lacrosse. The rankings are determined by weekly performances, with the poll released each Monday throughout the season.
Middlebury holds onto the No. 1 spot for the seventh straight week in the IWLCA Division III Coaches Poll. The 8-0 Panthers face a pair of NESCAC matchups this weekend, taking on Wesleyan University on Saturday and Hamilton College on Sunday at noon. Tufts remains at No. 2 after wins over No. 11 Washington and Lee and No. 24 Christopher Newport. Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, and Colby complete the Top 5. Mary Washington enters the Top 25 following a perfect 3-0 week, which included a win over No. 17 Denison.
Haverford returns to action with another Centennial Conference contest on Saturday against McDaniel. Action on Swan Field begins at 1 p.m. as the Fords host their annual Mental Health Awareness Game in conjunction with The Hidden Opponent.