With the results so one-sided this week, I’m listing the three things I think I learned a little differently.
1. There were four big winners this week.
Boston University, Maine, Northeastern and Providence all swept this weekend.
Coaches talk about how tough two points are in this league, and rightly so. Four points? Brutally tough in a league so strong from top to bottom.
But four teams pulled it off.
Boston University reestablished itself as a national power clicking on all cylinders by going into No. 12 Vermont’s barn and taking both contests.
Providence gave evidence that it just might fulfill those preseason high expectations, sweeping its home-and-home series with fifth-ranked Massachusetts-Lowell.
Northeastern continued to show how hot it is, making an important move in the middle of the pack with its leapfrogging, home sweep over Notre Dame.
And Maine showed that it isn’t dead yet. The Black Bears, who have had some awful defensive performances and struggled on the road, followed up a home win with a shutout on the road of New Hampshire. They’ve now won three road games and are tied for ninth.
For all, a huge four points.
2. If there were four big winners, that means there were also four big losers.
Lowell, New Hampshire, Notre Dame, and Vermont all got swept, as described above.
The biggest surprise has to be Lowell since just a few weeks ago the River Hawks were undefeated in league play. That seems a distant memory, though, because they’ve now lost three straight and four of their last five.
The biggest disappointment has got to be UNH, which fell into a tie for last place, albeit with three games in hand over Massachusetts.
UNH tied for last place? Wow. A really rough year for the Wildcats.
3. Kudos to UMass.
I’ve had few good things to say about the Minutemen this year, I’ll admit. I haven’t picked them to win many games. But they took three of four points from a Merrimack team that was ranked 14th in the country and entered the weekend 13-7-2.
Hats off to UMass!
