The Mason Dixon conference is two games away from determining its Women’s DI College quarterfinal match-ups, but the pairings haven’t been as straight-forward as expected.
The North played all but one game in the fall, and that final league match will occur at this Saturday’s Virginia Women’s Invitational Tournament (VWIT). West Chester is the undisputed leader, and once Pittsburgh and James Madison play their 80 minutes against each other, then the North will know its #2 and #3 teams. And that’s as far as it goes for the North. Winless Temple is suspended for this season, and 1-3 Maryland is not participating in playoffs.[3.5 Update: Maryland is competing in playoffs and will be the North #4 seed.]
The southern division has one more game to play before its lineup shakes out, but it's likely that East Carolina will finish fifth based on points differential. Still, certainty will be affored after the Virgiinia Tech (1-2) vs. East Carolina (0-3) game, when the third through fifth places will be decided.
The top two South teams were playing in a tier of their own: North Carolina (4-0) and UVA (3-1). The Tar Heels ran out to a 92-12 victory over Virginia Tech last weekend, as Naya Tapper and Ariel Esperancilla combined for nine tries. Brittany Lademann, Tavoiya Whitworth, Tanya Houston, Ria Sethi and Aliyah Cruz also scored tries while Cam Gunn’s expert boot slotted the extras. UNC will play Maryland (North #4) in round one, and UVA will play North #3 (TBD Saturday). North #1 West Chester will play South #4 (TBD Saturday) in the quarterfinals.
In the meantime, teams will be warming up with some friendlies. The Golden Rams will host the D.C. Furies, while UVA welcomes area teams to its VWIT and hopefully plays Navy.
| Mason Dixon - North | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD |
| West Chester | 4 | 0 | 0 | 340 | 10 | 330 |
| James Madison | 2 | 1 | 0 | 143 | 86 | 57 |
| Pittsburgh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 112 | -32 |
| Maryland | 1 | 3 | 0 | 99 | 246 | -147 |
| Temple | 0 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 243 | -209 |
| Mason Dixon - South | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD |
| North Carolina | 4 | 0 | 0 | 262 | 41 | 221 |
| Virginia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 164 | 60 | 104 |
| Virginia Tech | 1 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 131 | -69 |
| North Carolina State | 1 | 3 | 0 | 119 | 186 | -67 |
| East Carolina | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 211 | -189 |
March 21 – Quarterfinals (higher seeds host)
West Chester (North #1) vs. South #4
UVA (South #2) vs. North #3
North Carolina (South #1) vs. North #4
North #2 vs. South #3
