ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) announced on Friday its 2017 women’s lacrosse championship playoff bracket with Southern Vermont College taking claim to the three seed for the second-straight year.
SVC finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall record—that mark tying the program’s highest-ever win total and assures that the Mountaineers will finish the year with an above-.500 record for the first time in team history.
Southern Vermont, which was 5-2 in league play after cancelling its Conference contest with Daniel Webster College, will host No. 6 Bay Path University (3-5 NECC) on Tuesday for a 5 p.m. first-rounder. SVC defeated the Wildcats 26-6 in the two sides’ regular season matchup on April 5.
“It's very exciting to be in our postseason tournament,” said third-year SVC head coach Thomas L. Otero who is heading back to the playoffs for the third-consecutive season. “Getting in again with such a young program says a lot about the work ethic of our team. We were at the doorstep of the title last year; we didn't have all the tools needed to be successful. This year is another year, and we're a little bit better.”
SVC, in just its second season as a varsity program, made it all the way to the tournament finals in 2016 before falling to five-time NECC Champion Regis College.
The Mountaineers enter the 2017 postseason having scored 13.92 goals per game while giving up 10.26 scores per contest. Against the league, SVC tallied 16 goals per game and surrendered just 8.29 to its NECC opposition.
“We've played all the teams in the tournament, and we know what they have and what they don't have,” Otero added. “We are at a position where we can beat anyone—provided we play a well-managed game.”
With a win Tuesday, Southern Vermont will head to No. 2 Elms College (7-1 NECC) on Thursday for a semifinal showdown. The victor of that game will then play in Saturday’s championship contest for the right to dance in the NCAA Division III tournament.
The second semifinal match will be hosted by Regis—a team that went undefeated (8-0) in league action for the fifth-straight year to once again claim the top seed. The Pride will host the winner of Tuesday’s other first-round tilt that sees No. 5 Becker College (4-4 NECC) visit fourth-seeded Wheelock College (5-3 NECC) for a 7 p.m. start.
NECC 2017 Women’s Lacrosse Championship Bracket
First Round – Tuesday, May 2nd
Game 1: #6 Bay Path University @ #3 Southern Vermont College 5 p.m.
Game 2: #5 Becker College @ #4 Wheelock College 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Thursday, May 4th
Game 3: Game 1 winner @ #2 Elms College – 6 p.m.
Game 4: Game 2 winner @ #1 Regis College – 7 p.m.
Championship – Saturday, May 6th
Game 5: Semifinal winners at the highest remaining seed
– #LetsGoSVC –