TOWSON, Md. – After opening the season with wins over local rivals UMBC and 11th-ranked Loyola last week, the Tiger women's lacrosse team is nationally ranked for the third consecutive week. The Tigers, who have a 2-0 overall record, are ranked 12th in the nation, according to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA)/Under Armour weekly poll, which was released on Monday.
It is the highest ranking Towson has ever received in the IWLCA poll. After winning the 2005 Colonial Athletic Association championship, the Tigers were ranked 13th in the final poll.
The Tigers, who moved up five spots from last week's IWLCA poll, opened the season with a 15-7 victory over UMBC on Wednesday before rallying to earn a 14-10 win over the 11th-ranked Greyhounds on Saturday afternoon at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field.
The win over Loyola marked the highest-ranked opponent Towson has ever defeated.
The Tigers are led by fifth-year senior midfielder Hillary Fratzke, who has scored eight goals with an assist in the Tigers' first two games. Fratzke, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, scored three goals in the season opener against UMBC before matching her career high with five goals and an assist in the victory over Loyola.
Named to the Tewaaraton Trophy Preseason Watch List, Fratzke also became the fourth player in NCAA Division I history to score a goal in at least 50 consecutive games with her five-goal effort against the Greyhounds. She also boasts a 56-game point-scoring streak, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I.
The Tigers have also received contributions from freshmen Ashley Waldron and Alexa Demski. Waldron has scored three goals in each of the Tigers' first two games, including both game-winning goals, while Demski has started both games on defense and leads the team with nine ground balls.
Off to a 2-0 start for the third straight year, the Tigers will travel to Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday afternoon for a 4 p.m. game against the Blue Jays which will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
