The postseason picture is starting to take shape.

Meets are becoming season-defining in the NCATA, even in a week where just two ranked meets are in the national picture. No. 2 Oregon hosts No. 4 Iona University in Eugene, the same day as No. 6 Fairmont State University and No. 7 Duquesne University face off in West Virginia. There’s not much left of the regular season, and that means meets like these have rippling consequences. Keep an eye on those two. They’ll matter in April.

No. 6 Fairmont State University (4-0) vs No. 7 Duquesne University (2-0) | March 15, Fairmont, West Virginia

Two teams separated by one place in the preseason poll enter their highest-ranked meet of the season so far after near-identical wins over No. 10 Azusa Pacific University. A win for either would go a long way to securing a postseason berth. Sounds fun.

Fairmont State relied on a 10.0 open pyramid score to down the Cougars, 257.305-246.390 at home. The Falcons entered with a small start value advantage, and capitalized on it in a toss event which saw them drop just 0.85 points from 29.800 available. Duquesne, meanwhile, actually entered with a start value disadvantage of less than a point, but rolled over visiting Azusa Pacific anyway, 258.670-247.390. The Dukes’ pyramid event stunned, dropping just 0.55 of 30 available points, and keyed a first-half push which also included a 9.95 in compulsory toss.

The two winners go head-to-head in West Virginia on Sunday with a vital win on the line. The meet is the highest-remaining ranked outing of the regular season for Fairmont State, which faces No. 12 Glenville State University and No. 9 Gannon University in March. Duquesne has No. 1 Baylor University and No. 15 La Salle University still on the schedule, but the former is a big ask and the latter is potentially not enough with the postseason on the line.

Watch out for whose best wins between two teams that look close to the same level — if the Falcons’ open pyramid can neutralize the Dukes’ event mastery, it might be that start value advantage again that they lean on for a home victory.

Around the NCATA

There’s no other ranked meets outside Fairmont State-Duquesne and Oregon-Iona in Week 6. No. 3 Quinnipiac travels to face Canisius University on March 15 and No. 13 Lander University faces Montevallo University on the road on March 14.

No. 11 Saint Leo University took a 252.645-227.520 win over West Liberty University on March 13, No. 13 Hawaii Pacific University won a joint meet over Long Island University and Caldwell University on March 13 with a 247.205 total, and No. 15 La Salle beat Presbyterian University on March 11, 245.720-236.135.