Spring Break
The Daily OrangeWLAX | Weak strength of schedule leaves little room for error
By Christopher James
Posted: 4/17/08, 10:27 PM EST Section: Sports
Before practice Thursday on Wohl Field, the Syracuse women's lacrosse players seemed relaxed, discussing crab cakes and the dinner menu this weekend in Baltimore's inner harbor.
It didn't take long before junior Halley Quillinan switched topics and started explaining to a pair of teammates how one upset could alter the No. 4 Orange's fate.
Syracuse's 12-2 record belies uneasiness below the surface as it heads south to take on Loyola (Md.) Saturday at 1 p.m. If the Orange beats the Greyhounds, SU clinches the regular season Big East crown.
But that's of no consolation right now.
Due to a weak strength of schedule, SU's RPI is ninth according to the NCAA. That ranking would prevent the Orange from earning a single home game in the postseason.
"(Our schedule has) been something that we've had a little bit of difficulty with this year," Quillinan said. "Going into the tournament, we just have to win out."
According to laxpower.com, Syracuse has the 31st toughest schedule. SU plays five teams with an RPI higher than 50. There are only 85 teams in Division I.
Syracuse has beaten 11 teams by 10 goals or more this season.
Orange coach Gary Gait said he already has an agreement to play road games against Stanford and Cal, both in the RPI top 25, next season. Gait said he's doing research on who else he could add to bolster his team's ranking. There may not be much Gait can do.
"It's tough for people to make big changes these days," Gait said. "The teams that we'll probably be dropping won't be happy with it because they're trying to improve their strength of schedule. It's a difficult thing to deal with, but you got to do what's best for your team."
Both Gait and Quillinan said they'd like to add another team from the Atlantic Coast Conference, generally regarded as a top conference in women's lacrosse with four teams currently in the RPI top 10. Even as a former assistant at Maryland, Gait said he's gotten a lukewarm response from those schools.
It didn't take long before junior Halley Quillinan switched topics and started explaining to a pair of teammates how one upset could alter the No. 4 Orange's fate.
Syracuse's 12-2 record belies uneasiness below the surface as it heads south to take on Loyola (Md.) Saturday at 1 p.m. If the Orange beats the Greyhounds, SU clinches the regular season Big East crown.
But that's of no consolation right now.
Due to a weak strength of schedule, SU's RPI is ninth according to the NCAA. That ranking would prevent the Orange from earning a single home game in the postseason.
"(Our schedule has) been something that we've had a little bit of difficulty with this year," Quillinan said. "Going into the tournament, we just have to win out."
According to laxpower.com, Syracuse has the 31st toughest schedule. SU plays five teams with an RPI higher than 50. There are only 85 teams in Division I.
Syracuse has beaten 11 teams by 10 goals or more this season.
Orange coach Gary Gait said he already has an agreement to play road games against Stanford and Cal, both in the RPI top 25, next season. Gait said he's doing research on who else he could add to bolster his team's ranking. There may not be much Gait can do.
"It's tough for people to make big changes these days," Gait said. "The teams that we'll probably be dropping won't be happy with it because they're trying to improve their strength of schedule. It's a difficult thing to deal with, but you got to do what's best for your team."
Both Gait and Quillinan said they'd like to add another team from the Atlantic Coast Conference, generally regarded as a top conference in women's lacrosse with four teams currently in the RPI top 10. Even as a former assistant at Maryland, Gait said he's gotten a lukewarm response from those schools.
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