Conference play is right around the corner and even starting for some college lacrosse leagues this weekend. We have a pretty good gauge of where most teams fall, but every week is a battle. The slate this weekend is not as intense as the past few, but it will still be entertaining, to say the least. I’ve narrowed down five games that are definitely worth tuning in for if you have the time. Each of these matchups has its own college lacrosse storylines, with most teams hungry for a win. There’s a lot of upset potential this weekend, but also the risk of some blowouts along the way.
Cornell vs. Princeton
I’m anticipating this to be one of the best matchups in all of college lacrosse this regular season. Both teams have looked solid so far this year with very few blemishes on their resumes. Princeton’s only loss came against the No. 1 team in the country, the Maryland Terrapins, while Cornell shockingly let a game against Penn State slip away from them last weekend. The winner of this matchup is surely going to be the frontrunner in Ivy League title aspirations. However, the Ivy League always has a few tricks up its sleeve and rarely establishes a true conference favorite. This Big Red versus Tigers matchup is by far the best game of the weekend, with a lot on the line.
Richmond vs. Duke
Certainly a game that normally wouldn’t jump off the page, but there’s a lot at stake here for both teams. Duke currently sits with a 7-1 record but has not clearly established itself as a true contender like in years past. Richmond, with its 5-2 record, has no bad losses and has all the talent and coaching necessary to beat Duke. Home-field advantage is always nice for the Spiders and will certainly help. There’s something about this game that just feels right for Richmond and wrong for the Blue Devils. I could surely be wrong, and Duke could come out on top in a dominant win, which would then help solidify its contender status, but before the game is played, I really feel confident about Richmond pulling off the upset.
Rutgers vs. UMass
This game is going to be fun, plain and simple. While I don’t think UMass has all of the necessary resources to come out on top without some major missteps from Rutgers, it will still be a fun game to watch. UMass is riding a five-game win streak and is going to be hungry to keep the momentum going. Rutgers currently sits with a 4-4 record with no real quality wins to write home about and some pretty rough losses. Any win over a Big Ten opponent is huge, despite the record. Hopefully, the Scarlet Knights put it together and handle business, but there’s a realistic chance UMass capitalizes on a struggling Rutgers team and puts the nail in the coffin on their season.
Michigan vs. Notre Dame
Probably the second-best college lacrosse matchup of the weekend, with two teams desperately wanting this win. Both Michigan and Notre Dame have underperformed compared to preseason expectations. This game has great name recognition for both schools and could be a key confidence boost heading into conference play. Michigan currently sits with a 4-3 record, with losses coming against Harvard, Duke, and North Carolina. Notre Dame had a nice three-game win streak to start the year against lesser opponents but came up short in one-goal affairs against Maryland and Ohio State. This game is going to be fun solely because both teams are desperate for a win—especially against a quality opponent.
Virginia vs. Maryland
This game doesn’t have the juice it would in years past. Virginia just seems off, sitting at 3-3 with losses against Richmond, Ohio State, and Johns Hopkins. The Cavaliers’ season is certainly not over, but they haven’t given fans much to feel confident about. Maryland, on the other hand, looks completely unstoppable. Ohio State showed how you can neutralize Virginia’s offense, and I’m sure Maryland took note and will implement similar concepts in their game plan. The Terps will almost certainly come out on top, but this could be a fun first half before the game gets ugly.
