COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland lacrosse coach Cindy Timchal would prefer giving up the first-round bye, but likes the trend of being the top seed in the women's NCAA Division I tournament.
The top-ranked Terps (15-0), who have defeated the other five tournament teams in the regular season, automatically advanced the Final Four in Ewing Township, N.J., as one of the top two seeded teams, and will have to wait 12 days to play the James Madison-Penn State winner.
"Personally, I would rather be playing this week," Timchal said. "I wouldn't want to lose the No. 1 seed, but I would like the tournament to have a play-in game and not have us sit around."
Maryland, the only undefeated team in the tournament, has enjoyed sitting around in the past. The Terps have made it to the Final Four as a result of a bye for the last five years and have played in the championship game in four of those years.
It also helps ease Timchal's fears that the previous five national champions received byes.
But the Terps have found a rhythm, winning five games in 16 days. Maryland's last three wins came against second-seeded Dartmouth, third-seeded Princeton and fourth-seeded Penn State to extend the Terps' regular-season win streak to 38.
Timchal said she doesn't foresee a letdown with this prolonged rest after ending the season strong.
"Nothing is going to hold this team back," Timchal said. "We've faced so much this season. I don't think we're going to slow down now."
In Division III, Johns Hopkins (14-2) received its third straight NCAA tournament bid and plays host to Ursinus (12-4) on Saturday. The Blue Jays, who have won nine straight by at least six goals, defeated Ursinus, 12-6, on April 15.
Johns Hopkins only lost to top-ranked Trenton State (14-0) and ++ No. 4 Rowan (13-2) this season. The Blue Jays have topped five ranked opponents this year.
NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTS
DIVISION I First round Saturday
James Madison at Penn State Temple at Princeton
Semifinals
May 20 At Trenton State JMU-PSU winner vs. Maryland Temple-Princeton vs. Dartmouth
Championship
May 21 At Trenton State
DIVISION III First round Saturday
Ursinus (12-4) at Hopkins (14-2)
Hartwick (13-2) at W. Smith (14-0)
Trenton State (14-0) at Rowan (13-2)
Trinity (11-1) at Middlebury (11-3)
Semifinals
May 20, at Trenton State JHU-Ursinus winner vs. Hartwick-WS winner TSU-Rowan winner Trinity-Middlebury winner
Championship
May 21, at Trenton State
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Men's Division I first round
Saturday
North Carolina at Loyola, 1 p.m.
Cornell at Brown, 1 p.m.
Notre Dame at Duke, 1:30 p.m.
UMass at princeton, 2 p.m.
