Washington and Lee, Roanoke Receive Byes thru First Round

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University heads into the 2012 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament as the top seed for the third straight season following the conclusion of the 2012 conference regular season schedule on Monday afternoon.  The nationally 15th-ranked Generals own a 9-0 league mark as part of a 13-4 overall record.

A pair of three way ties needed sorting to determine the remaining seeds in the six-team tournament.  Each persisted through four levels of the conference tie-breaking procedure, ultimately being differentiated by lots drawn prior to the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign at the ODAC Board of Directors meeting during the summer.

Roanoke College (10-6, 7-2) will play out of the second seed and join Washington and Lee as one of two squads receiving a bye into the semifinals.  Lynchburg College (10-6, 7-2) will host one quarterfinal as the third seed, while Guilford College (10-6, 7-2) will host the other first round contest as the fourth seed.

The second three-way tie-breaker featured Bridgewater College (6-9, 4-5), Randolph-Macon College (8-9, 4-5) and Virginia Wesleyan College (6-10, 4-5).  The Marlins will make the trip to Guilford as the fifth seed, and the Yellow Jackets travel to Lynchburg as the sixth seed.

Quarterfinal play begins on Saturday, April 28, with the semifinals set for Wednesday, May 2.  The winners of the semifinals will play on Saturday or Sunday, May 5/6.  The date is contingent upon graduation or exam dates of the competing schools.

While Washington and Lee will undoubtedly be the host of its semifinal matchup, the location of the remaining semifinal is not yet set.  By conference rule, breaking a tie by lots only determines the position of seeds inside a tournament, not the home and away designation of games between those teams.  Since the seeds of Roanoke, Lynchburg and Guilford were determined by lots, any tournament game amongst those three teams will be played on the campus of the school that won that regular season matchup.  The Maroons would host its slotted semifinal if R-MC defeats LC.  However, if Lynchburg wins its quarterfinal matchup against Randolph-Macon, the Hornets would host Roanoke in the semifinals thanks to LC's 15-12 regular season victory over RC.

Listed below is the schedule for the 201 ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Tournament.  For more information, visit any of the participating schools' websites or to go the ODAC tournament website at www.odaconline.com/tournament/spring/wlax. 

2012 ODAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals – Saturday, April 28
Game 1: #5 Virginia Wesleyan at #4 Guilford – TBA
Game 2: #6 Randolph-Macon at #3 Lynchburg  – TBA

Semifinals – Wednesday, May 2
Game 3: Winner Game 1 at #1 Washington and Lee – TBA
Game 4: Winner Game 2 vs. #2 Roanoke at TBD* – TBA

Championship – Saturday/Sunday, May 5/6
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 at TBD* - TBA

*Location may be affected by previously broken ties, depending on the matchup.