Professional PLL
06:00 PM
Jul 19
Phi
Den
Welcome to the Gameday Guide.
Every weekend during the college lacrosse season, USA Lacrosse Magazine staff will riff on the juiciest matchups, trendiest topics and biggest storylines.
Check out the rankings and TV listings for more.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S APRIL ALREADY?
It seems like just yesterday that snowstorms were sweeping across the nation on college lacrosse Saturdays, and now we're looking at the thick of conference schedules in the second-to-last month of the season. Although we've gotten some of the top matchups in the nonconference schedule out of the way (cough, cough Maryland and Virginia), there are still plenty of intriguing games this weekend.
Another top-10 showdown in the Ivy League, two ACC teams fighting for their seasons and a Tobacco Road battle highlight the slate for this weekend. Let's not waste any more time. Here's what to watch for this weekend.
GAMES TO WATCH
ALL TIMES EASTERN
DAY |
TIME |
AWAY |
HOME |
TV/STREAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fri |
5 p.m. |
Penn State |
No. 14 Ohio State |
|
|
Sat |
12 p.m. |
Navy |
No. 19 Boston U |
|
|
Sat |
12 p.m. |
High Point |
No. 9 Jacksonville |
|
|
Sat |
12 p.m. |
No. 2 Virginia |
Richmond |
|
|
Sat |
12 p.m. |
No. 1 Maryland |
Michigan |
|
|
Sat |
1 p.m. |
No. 4 Princeton |
Brown |
|
|
Sat |
1 p.m. |
No. 12 Army |
Bucknell |
|
|
Sat |
2 p.m. |
No. 18 Syracuse |
No. 16 Notre Dame |
|
|
Sat |
2 p.m. |
No. 13 Duke |
No. 10 North Carolina |
|
|
Sat |
2 p.m. |
No. 3 Georgetown |
No. 17 Denver |
|
|
Sat |
3:30 p.m. |
No. 6 Penn |
No. 8 Yale |
|
|
Sun |
7 p.m. |
Johns Hopkins |
No. 5 Rutgers |
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 13 Duke at No. 10 North Carolina
Lost in the fanfare surrounding the NCAA men's basketball final four is the fact that the same matchup will go down on Saturday in Chapel Hill. The implications are less drastic, but that doesn't mean there's nothing at stake when the Blue Devils and Tar Heels meet.
Both Duke and North Carolina are 0-1 in the ACC, and if Notre Dame wins against Syracuse, the loser of this game would sit alone at the bottom of the ACC. For Duke, a loss would be its third in four games.
If this game goes anything like their first meeting in 2021 (Mike Adler game-saving stop, Joe Robertson winner) we could have another classic on our hands. Fans in Durham and Chapel Hill may be focused on another game Saturday night, but this could be the appetizer for a wild day for one of college athletics' biggest rivalries.
UPSET WATCH
No. 12 Army at Bucknell
Two weeks ago, Army went down to Lehigh at Michie Stadium. I did mention that game in our Upset Alert, and I apologize to Army for going back to the well this time around.
Army heads to Lewisburg, Pa., for a Patriot League battle with a Bucknell team that has had a strong season so far. The Bison have only lost to Boston University and Loyola, both on the road, and sit at 4-0 at home including a win over Penn State.
What we know is that this game will light up the scoreboard — both Army and Bucknell sit in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense. Bucknell freshman Connor Davis leads the nation in goals per game, while Army's Brendan Nichtern leads the nation in points per game.
BEST GAME EVERYONE
SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT
No. 18 Syracuse at No. 16 Notre Dame
Not only is Saturday's game in South Bend a crucial matchup between ACC teams that need to continue to stack quality wins, the Orange and Fighting Irish will be playing for a great cause.
Notre Dame is billing the matchup as its Mental Health Awareness Game, with proceeds going back to the Tommy O'Brien Fund and 15 for Life Foundation, honoring late former players Tommy O'Brien and Rob Kavovit. The teams are selling merchandise to raise money for each charity (blue shirts for Notre Dame and white for Syracuse), and you can click here for more.
On the field, two of the top offensive threats in the country match up in Pat Kavanagh and Tucker Dordevic. This should be fun.
UNDER-THE-RADAR STARS
Brayden Mayea, High Point
Mayea became a household name with his #SCTop10 play in early February, but he has steadily produced ever since. He leads High Point with 30 goals in nine games, sitting second on the team in points. He has paired with Asher Nolting well in 2022, creating a one-two punch capable of leading the Panthers to an upset of Jacksonville.
Matt Campbell, Villanova
Villanova has another offensive force on its hands in Campbell, who leads the team with 26 goals and 37 points this season. He's also showed up in some of the Wildcats' biggest games this season, recently dropping seven goals and an assist in a win over Delaware last weekend.
Jon Robbins, Bellarmine
Bellarmine's season has not gone as hoped in 2022, but Robbins has been one of the highlights for the Knights. He has anchored the Bellarmine defense and leads the nation in caused turnovers per game (3.20). He's had multiple games with six caused turnovers, and tallied nine ground balls and five caused turnovers combined in matchups with Michigan and North Carolina.