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Gauchos Get Top Spot In WCLA National Poll

Mar. 28, 2012

Baltimore, MD - UCSB women's lacrosse were idle and University of Florida won both their games over the weekend but the two squads traded spots in the WCLA National Top 20 Poll released by U.S. Lacrosse today. The Gauchos are now the top ranked team in all the land for their division while the Gators slipped to the number two spot. This occurrence came for the club from Florida despite doing everything they were supposed to in 13-3 and 21-3 wins over South Florida and Samford, respectively, over the weekend. In the poll last week Florida had the top spot and it were the Gauchos who were second ranked. Seven WWLL teams remain ranked in the Top 20 again this week, an all-time high for any WCLA conference, showing the strength of the conference in the eyes of the voters.

Left scratching their heads as much as Florida are the 3rd ranked Brigham Young players. They haven't lost a game since February 18th when they dropped a close one to then top ranked University of Michigan, 11-10 in overtime. The Cougars (9-2 overall) have won eight straight games since that loss but have been stuck at third in the poll for the four straight weeks covering that win streak.

This week both UCSB and Florida received 5 first place votes but UCSB received 224 points overall to the 217 cast the way of Florida. The Gators (14-2 overall) are now idle until their conference tournament starts April 14th. The Gauchos (8-1 overall) resume play this Friday after 19 days off from competition for final exams and spring break. UCSB hosts unranked University of San Diego in UCSB Harder Stadium in a battle of two first place teams. The Toreros are 2-0 in WWLL South while the Gauchos are 2-0 in WWLL Central. Game time is 6:00pm at UCSB Harder Stadium. Prior to the game, at 4:00pm, the Gauchos are offering a free Girls Lacrosse Try-It Clinic in the north endzone of Harder Stadium to help promote local youth lacrosse.

"We were playing good lacrosse before the break," said UCSB head coach Paul Ramsey, when asked about the upcoming game with San Diego.

"Picking up as close to where we left off as possible is our objective on Friday."

The Gauchos are now the #1 team and everyone, San Diego included, likes to aim at knocking off the top ranked team. With a target squarely on their backs now UCSB will see how close to number one form they are in the contest with the Toreros.