SCHENECTADY — The Union men’s lacrosse team didn’t expect to be at home this weekend in the Division III NCAA Tournament.
But the Dutchmen are indeed playing at Frank Bailey Field on Saturday and possibly Sunday. They can thank Middlebury women’s lacrosse for that.
Because the No. 1-ranked Middlebury women are hosting NCAA games this weekend on their Vermont campus, the fifth-ranked Middlebury men couldn’t also play at home.
“Middlebury was not able to host both the men’s and women’s lacrosse tournament on the same weekend,” NCAA committee chair Scott McVean said in an email.
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Frank Bailey Field, Schenectady
As a result, Union is hosting this four-team pod of the NCAA Tournament. The Dutchmen (11-6) take on Western New England (12-8) at 3 p.m. Saturday in a second-round game that follows a noon contest between Middlebury (16-2) and St. Mary’s of Maryland (15-5).
The winners meet at 3 p.m. Sunday in a third-round match.
“I was a little surprised (to host),” Union coach Derek Witheford said. “I think some of it had to do with some stuff out of our control. … It doesn’t matter. We’re home and that’s all we care about. I know our student body’s excited and our guys are excited to be playing at home one more time.”
A Middlebury athletics spokesperson said the school put in bids to host both men’s and women’s lacrosse this weekend but “the NCAA determines who hosts.”
Union is undefeated at home (8-0) in its NCAA Tournament history.
Regardless of venue, Union will try to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive year. The Dutchmen reached their first national championship game last season before losing to Rochester Institute of Technology in East…
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