With the end of Athletes Unlimited’s lacrosse season approaching, the top of the individual leaderboard is crowded, with no clear cut favorite to win the inaugural season.
Dempsey Arsenault currently leads the league with 1133 total points. But she has yet to fully separate herself, with fifth-place Caylee Waters holding 1010 points — a mere 123 points back of Arsenault.
As we head into week four, here are the biggest questions we’ll be asking:
Wood has continued to set herself apart as one of the best defenders in the league after winning the first two weeks of play. Currently ranking second behind Arsenault, she’s continued to rake up points by winning games and being named game MVP. (She currently has 105 MVP points — 75 more than Arsenault.)
As a defender, it’s harder for Wood to rack up as many individual stat points, with 148 compared to Arsenault’s 348. So far, Wood only has one goal and one assist this season, but she’s continued to grab points by securing ground balls, controlling draws and, most importantly, winning games.
Though she’s just 45 points back from the leader, Wood also has to contend with a rising Taylor Cummings, who’s just five points behind the defender and quickly climbing up the rankings.
Speaking of Cummings — for the first time this season, the Maryland legend had an opportunity to draft her own team this week after finishing in the top four the week before.
Cummings told Just Women’s Sports before the season that if she had the chance, she would draft midfielder Marie McCool. Lo and behold, that’s exactly what she did.
4 new teams for Week 4⃣! 👀🥍 Check out our rosters here ⤵️ #BeUnlimited pic.twitter.com/lADIhOsJNL— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) August 10, 2021
4 new teams for Week 4⃣! 👀🥍 Check out our rosters here ⤵️ #BeUnlimited pic.twitter.com/lADIhOsJNL
Cummings has steadily been climbing the leaderboard for weeks and now is within striking distance of the individual title. Averaging just over two goals a game, she has the most individual stat points of any player in the league and is currently just five points back of Wood and 50 back of Arsenault. Where Cummings lags both is in win points.
To catch up in that category, Cummings will have to have drafted as well as she’s been playing.
If she picked the right roster and can rattle off some wins, Cummings could be the leader entering the final week.
Interestingly, the fourth and fifth spots in the rankings are both held by goaltenders, Kady Glynn and the aforementioned Waters. With only 57 points separating the two, it’s anybody’s game for who will take home bragging rights as the top goaltender — and potentially the league winner.
Glynn has more win points, having won more periods and games than Waters. Waters, on the other hand, has been racking up the MVP points, with her 135 being tied for first.
Glynn’s overall lacrosse savvy will be tested this week as she, too, drafted a team of her own for the first time. This could ultimately bolster her overall win points and separate her from Waters. Or it could do the opposite, as Waters was selected to Cummings’ squad and could find herself racking up some win points of her own.
Tune in: Team Arsenault vs Team Wood kicks off the weekend on Friday, August 13th at 5:00pm ET on CBS Sports Network.
Catch the full schedule of games here.
Editor’s note: Athletes Unlimited is a sponsor of Just Women’s Sports.