MINNEAPOLIS — By virtue of their three win week, the Oswego Lakers solidified their hold on the top spot in Division III hockey, earning 15 of a possible 20 first place votes.
The rest of the top tallies were allocated differently, though the order of the elite five teams — Oswego, Plattsburgh, Norwich, Adrian, and St. Norbert — remained unchanged.
After receiving five first place votes a week ago, the Cardinals were the lone team among the upper tier not to receive any, while the Cadets, still undefeated at 7-0-1 on the season, received two top tallies, as did the unblemished Bulldogs. Rounding out the top five, the Green Knights were rewarded with the final first place vote.
Positions six, seven, and eight also remained the same from last week.
Sandwiched between idle Elmira and Middlebury, seventh ranked St. Scholastica registered two impressive victories (6-3, 3-0) over then-No. 12 University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Beginning at No. 9 is where the poll shakes up. Though both idle last week, undefeated (7-0-1) Curry jumped up two spots while 6-1-2 Hamline ascended three positions to tenth.
Williams College, too, moved up three rungs after shutting out Salve Regina, 6-0. Continuing the theme of upward mobility, Gustavus Adolphus and Wentworth entered the poll at positions 12 and 13, respectively, mostly due to the struggles of the teams above them.
To wit: previously ninth ranked UW-River Falls was swept at home by in-state rival Stout, 6-1 and 6-5. No. 10 Bowdoin suffered a similar fate, losing both games in a home-and-home series to unranked Colby. And, as noted above, UW-Superior was swept the No. 7 Saints.
The Falcons and the Yellowjackets round out the top 15; the Bowdoin Polar Bears and Salem State Vikings fell out of this week’s poll.
USCHO.com Division III Men's Poll
December 14, 2009
Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Oswego (15) 13-1-0 295 1
2 Plattsburgh 7-1-2 265 2
3 Norwich ( 2) 7-0-1 264 3
4 Adrian ( 2) 10-0-0 236 4
5 St. Norbert ( 1) 10-2-1 221 5
6 Elmira 9-2-0 202 6
7 St. Scholastica 8-2-2 191 7
8 Middlebury 3-1-2 136 8
9 Curry 7-0-1 125 11
10 Hamline 6-1-2 103 13
11 Williams 6-0-1 101 14
12 Gustavus Adolphus 7-3-1 55 NR
13 Wentworth 7-0-1 40 NR
14 Wis.-River Falls 7-5-1 39 9
15 Wis.-Superior 7-5-1 22 12
Others Receiving Votes: Salem State 21, Bowdoin 20, Colby 20, Amherst 19, Wis.-Stout 16, Manhattanville 5, New England College 3, Fredonia 1