Middlebury Finishes Undefeated to Earn Tournament Top Seed

HADLEY, Mass. — Middlebury College finished regular season conference play undefeated and earned the top seed and a first round bye in the 2005 NESCAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The Panthers (9-0 NESCAC, 12-1 overall), who have won all four previous NESCAC tournaments, will host the semifinals and finals on Saturday-Sunday, May 7-8. First round games will begin Sunday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. at the higher seeded institution.

Bowdoin (7-2 NESCAC, 10-4 overall) earned the tournament’s second seed and will host seventh seeded Bates (4-5 NESCAC, 8-5 overall) in first round action. Bowdoin’s only two conference losses on the year were both one goal decisions on the road; at Amherst last weekend and in overtime at Middlebury.

Third seed Amherst (6-3 NESCAC, 10-3 overall) will meet sixth seed Conn. College (4-5 NESCAC, 7-7 overall) while fourth-seeded Wesleyan (5-4 NESCAC, 10-4 overall) will host fifth seed Tufts (5-4 NESCAC, 9-4 overall). All three first round contests are rematches of contests played earlier this week. Bowdoin defeated Bates 11-5 on Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine while Amherst ousted Conn. College 15-8 and Wesleyan squeaked past Tufts 10-9.

The top seven teams qualify for the NESCAC Championship. Predetermined tiebreaking procedures were used to seed teams with identical records. First round games will be played on Sunday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. First round winners will advance to the semifinals at Middlebury on Saturday, May 7. Teams are rebracketed entering the semifinal round with number one seed Middlebury playing the lowest remaining seed. The NESCAC Champion receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship.

2005 NESCAC MEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Sunday, May 1 at Higher Seeds
No. 7 Bates at No. 2 Bowdoin - 1:00 p.m.
No. 6 Conn. College at No. 3 Amherst - 1:00 p.m.
No. 5 Tufts at No. 4 Wesleyan - 1:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, May 7 at Middlebury
No. 1 Middlebury vs. lowest remaining seed - 12:00 p.m.
Remaining first round winners - 3:00 p.m.

Championship - Sunday, May 8 at Middlebury
Semifinal winners - 12:00 p.m.