Monday May 3rd, 2021 8:00am
(Photo Notre Dame Athletics)
Conference tournaments take center stage this week as eight leagues will hand out AQs and a trip to May Madness. The NCAA Tournament will also welcome eight at-large selections. The ACC will grab five of the eight at-large bids. That leaves three open spots for teams that fail to capture their league crown. It’s as easy as 8-8-5-3. Runners-up with resumes from the Patriot, Big East and Big Ten are likely to receive those three last bids.
All the intrigue makes this week the most intense of the season, the moment of truth. Win and advance, lose and go home.
Kavanagh set Notre Dame single-game points record with five goals and five assists as the Fighting Irish trampled No. 11 Syracuse 22-8. It was the most goals Notre Dame has ever scored against the Orange.
Kavanagh, who also set the Fighting Irish single-season assist record (34) held by his older brother and Notre Dame great, Matt, previously tallied nine points in two games earlier this season including the team’s 18-11 win over Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
Griffin Westlin and midfielder Quinn McCahon each registered five points on three goals and two assists, respectively. Liam Entenmann made 11 saves and allowed only six goals in 52:46.
Photo courtesy of Villanova Athletics)
Throughout the season, Villanova has occupied a strange space. Itâs a team that typically is good for an early-season out-of-conference upset â like Maryland in 2020 and â17, Yale in â19 and â18.Â
With a Big East-only schedule for most of 2021, that wasnât an option, and the Wildcats rolled through league competition but hadnât been able to get past Top 10 teams Denver and Georgetown, despite a game against each decided by one goal.
Combine that with a one-sided season-opening loss to the Hoyas that grabbed headlines, and Villanovaâs sat somewhere toward the back of the Top 20 without much fanfare â but still talented and dangerous.
Denver coach Bill Tierney says Ethan Walker is “fearless.”
So in overtime of a hard-fought game, with the Big East Tournament No. 1 seed on the line, who else is going to get the ball?
Walker caught a pass behind the net around his ankles, dove up between a pair of Villanova defenders and scored, giving No. 10 Denver a 11-10 win against No. 16 Villanova inside Villanova Stadium and clinching a share of the Big East regular-season crown.
“He’s fearless. There’s not a scared bone in his body. He’s not scared of the situation. He’s not afraid of big guys. He’s not afraid of me,” said Tierney. “He’s the guy you want to come up with it.”
No. 13 Delaware cruised against Towson, 16-8, a surprisingly decisive victory in a CAA that’s recently been defined by close slugfests.
The Blue Hens’ (9-2, 6-1 CAA) 16 goals against the Tigers (6-7, 3-4 CAA) were the most in the series against Towson since April 10, 1999.
Cam Acchione scored five goals on five shots, Mike Robinson had a hat trick on four shots, and Charlie Kitchen (2G, 4A) and Tye Kurtz (2G, 3A) combined for seven assists.
Matt Kilkeary tied a career-high with 13 saves.
Delaware started with a 4-1 run, then broke the game open by holding Towson scoreless for the entire second quarter and going on a 5-0 run in the third.