There are still more than three weeks before the 18-team field for the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament is unveiled, but one conference nearly has its bracket set for its own postseason.
Four of the six spots in the Patriot League Tournament have already been filled. Although the seeding is still up in the air, No. 16 Boston University, No. 20 Lehigh, No. 12 Army West Point and unranked Loyola Maryland have earned another life after the regular season.
Two teams out of a group that includes Navy, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette and Holy Cross will round out the Patriot League Tournament, and the regular-season championship and home-field advantage remain at stake for the top four teams.
Here are some upcoming games of interest on the men’s and women’s sides.
Men
No. 16 Boston University (8-3, 5-0 Patriot League) at Loyola Maryland (5-5, 4-1), Saturday, noon
The Terriers are tied with No. 20 Lehigh for the top spot in the Patriot League as they vie for their first conference regular-season championship. But Ric Flair’s iconic saying — “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best” — seems to apply to this matchup as the host Greyhounds have won at least a share of the past three regular-season titles and four of the past six conference tournament crowns.
Loyola is 5-2 all-time against Boston University. The Terriers’ offense — which entered the week tied for 12th in the country at 14.3 goals per game — is spearheaded by junior attackman Vince D’Alto, who ranks seventh in points per game at 5.6, and senior attackman Timmy Ley, who ranks 14th at 4.9. The Greyhounds will lean on graduate student attackman Aidan Olmstead, who is tied for 32nd at 4.0. Players on both units might need to keep their heads on swivels as Boston University leads the nation in caused turnovers per game at 12.6 and Loyola ranks ninth at 10.1.
No. 12 Army West Point (9-2) at No. 5 Cornell (10-1), Saturday, 3 p.m.
Boston University went 0-2 against Yale and Princeton last week. Now the Black Knights get their shot at the Ivy League in the form of the Big Red. While Army is riding a three-game winning streak, Cornell is enjoying a four-game run capped by a come-from-behind 16-15 overtime win against archrival Syracuse on Monday.
A Big Red defense that is tied for 25th at 10.7 goals per game and anchored by senior goalkeeper Chayse Ierlan (18th in goals-against average at 10.61, 35th in save percentage at .518) will be tasked with executing a plan to limit Black Knights senior attackman Brendan Nichtern (first in points per game at 6.2, tied for first in assists per game at 3.6). Cornell boasts a pair of 30-goal attackmen in senior John Piatelli (40) and sophomore CJ Kirst (34).
No. 9 Ohio State (8-3, 2-1 Big Ten) at No. 1 Maryland (10-0, 3-0), Saturday, 4 p.m.
The Terps appear primed to collect their sixth Big Ten regular-season championship since joining the league for the 2015 season. The visiting Buckeyes, who enter the game on a two-game winning streak, might have something to say on the matter.
Fireworks on offense could be a theme as Maryland’s top-ranked unit at 18.3 goals per game will rely on fifth-year senior attackman Logan Wisnauskas (eighth in points per game at 5.5). Ohio State is tied for 10th at 14.4 goals per game but is especially dangerous on extra-man chances where seven man-up goals each by senior attackmen Jason Knox and Colby Smith have lifted the Buckeyes to second in the nation in extra-man percentage (.611). Also, watch the faceoff battle between Ohio State senior Justin Inacio (eighth at .613) and Terps junior Luke Wierman (second at .673).
Women
No. 9 Denver (12-1, 2-0 Big East) at Georgetown (7-6, 2-0), Friday, 3 p.m.
The winners of the past two Big East regular-season championships (the Hoyas in 2019 and the Pioneers in 2021) meet Friday. Georgetown has won two games in a row, while Denver is enjoying a six-game winning streak.
The Pioneers have depended on a stingy defense that leads the conference in goals per game at 7.7 and caused turnovers per game at 14.2. That might be necessary to offset the advantage the Hoyas have in draw controls, where they average 15.1 draws per game while Denver’s rate of 11.2 ranks last in the league. Pioneers graduate student attacker Bea Behrins leads the conference in goals per game at 3.4 and ranks second in points per game at 4.5, while Georgetown relies on a group of eight players who have scored at least 14 goals each.
No. 2 Boston College (13-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) at No. 7 Duke (14-1, 5-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.
This is not the first reunion as Eagles graduate student attacker Charlotte Smith faced her former Blue Devils teammates on April 3, 2021, and came away with a 17-15 win. But this will be Smith’s first appearance back in Durham since she transferred from Duke to Boston College after the 2019 season. The decision paid dividends for the Eagles, who captured last year’s NCAA championship.
The Blue Devils might not have Smith, but they do feature graduate student attacker Catriona Barry, who ranks ninth in the country in points per game at 5.5, and sophomore attacker Katie DeSimone, who ranks 17th at 4.9. North ranks 11th at 5.4 points per game and 14th in draw controls per game at 6.9. Duke will rely on senior Maddie Jenner, who leads the nation at 12.7 draws per game, to keep the possession pendulum swinging in the Blue Devils’ favor.
