One more and it will be an even dozen.
For the 11th consecutive poll, the Plattsburgh Cardinals are the top team in Division III college hockey. This time, however, it is not unanimous.
The University of Wisconsin-Superior received the lone dissenting vote and moved up one slot to second, after edging then-second ranked St. Scholastica at home, 4-3. The Yellowjackets are now 20-2-3 on the season.
Taking Superior’s spot in third was UW-Stout–who edged fellow state school River Falls, 6-5 in their only action of the week–followed by the vanquished Saints.
The week’s biggest mover was Elmira. The Soaring Eagles flew two spots to fifth after sweeping Lebanon Valley at home by 9-2 and 3-1 scores. More reason for their ascension, however, was the performance of the teams above them.
Previously fifth ranked Middlebury struggled in falling to the University of Massachusetts-Boston (3-2 in overtime) after besting Babson (3-2), both at home in Vermont. The Panthers fell to seventh while Hobart–who also won one of two over the weekend–stayed in the sixth position.
As always, Adrian was eighth.
Ascending to ninth was Oswego, now winners of nine in a row and playing at level more akin to their national championship two seasons ago. The Lakers host top-ranked Plattsburgh on Friday evening.
Manhattanville and St. Norbert switched spots 10 and 11 after the Valiants swept Utica on the road and the Green Knights edged Lake Forest in Illinois.
The Amherst Lord Jeffs are making themselves at home among the nation’s elite, holding their spot at No. 12 after defeating both St. Anselm and New England College on the road.
The Oles from St. Olaf, too, continue to impress after tying and defeating St. Thomas in a home-and-home series with the usually stout Tommies to remain at No. 13. Nichols College dropped a slot to No. 14 after losing to Suffolk, 4-3, before rebounding to edge Assumption, 5-3.
And the UW-Stevens Point reentered the top 15 after besting rival Eau Claire, 5-4.
A tie and a loss–to Skidmore and Castleton, respectively–was enough to send previous No. 14 Norwich out of the poll.
