Despite my apprehensions about predictions, I have doled them out anyway (especially when I don’t have ideas.) This aversion to predicting comes from the inherent fact that no one can truly predict the future unless they are clairvoyant or have a time machine. It is at this point in my article where I would like to clarify that I am in fact somewhat clairvoyant, in that I did predict a Packers victory in Super Bowl XVI, when in fact their playoff picture was in doubt at the time. (Gloating much?) So my readers, I give you my NBA playoff predictions.
The 13th-ranked women’s golf team put up a fine showing at the 2011 Jack Leaman Women’s Golf Championship, which was played out at the Hickory Ridge Country Club last weekend. The two-time defending champions of the event shot a two-day total of 667 to finish second and continue building momentum in what is becoming a strong spring season. Only Methodist University (651), the top-ranked team in the nation, outperformed the Jeffs, who upset No. 3-ranked Williams (677).
In spite of the less than ideal weather last Saturday, both the men’s and women’s outdoor track teams sprung into action at the UMass Invitational, as each team topped the competition in one event, in addition to placing well in several others.
Women
The women’s lacrosse team faced off against Middlebury, Colby and Skidmore in the past week. The 17th ranked Jeffs upset 8th-ranked Middlebury last Wednesday with a 14-11 win, but fell to 10th-ranked Colby on Saturday. They held on after losing a six-goal lead to beat Skidmore 11-10 Tuesday night. The Jeffs are 8-4 overall and 3-4 in NESCAC play.
After a streak of wins against Wesleyan and Hamilton that saw the Jeffs soar to a tie in first place in the NESCAC West, the team dropped a pair of close games away at Keene State College on April 15. While Amherst sprung to a 3-0 lead in the first game, they could not withstand a fourth-inning Owl surge that left them on the wrong side of a 4-3 scoreline, before falling 3-1 in the second game.
Women
The women’s tennis team protected its perfect NESCAC record and No. 1 ranking with two victories over high-quality competition this past weekend. After losing their top spot in the ITA’s national rankings at the end of March, the Jeffs’ strong play over the past two weeks re-earned them their No. 1 ranking, but also provided their opponents, Colby and Williams, with an incentive to play spoiler. Yet the Jeffs handily dealt with both teams, dismissing Colby 7-2 on Saturday before defeating their archrivals by the same score the following afternoon.
The magical moments keep coming for the red-hot men’s lacrosse team, which is putting together a season to remember. The No. 10 Jeffs pulled out two thrilling comeback wins last week, earning 7-6 victories over Springfield and Colby. Channeling their inner Houdini, the Jeffs faced early 3-0 deficits in both games, but battled back and scored clutch goals in last-minute situations. The surging Jeffs (11-1 overall, 6-1 NESCAC)have not lost since a season-opening defeat to No 1. Tufts on Mar. 12.
