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.

LOOK NO FURTHER THAN NORTHWESTERN AS THE CASE STUDY FOR WHY IT’S NICE THAT A “NORMAL” LACROSSE SCHEDULE IS BACK.

Yeah, yeah, “normal” is overused given the context of how it’s been used since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. But last year was certainly anything but normal, at least as far as scheduling goes. Northwestern played a conference-only Big Ten slate that was certainly competitive, but it didn’t let the Wildcats prime themselves against the type of non-conference competition it’d face in the NCAA tournament.

So, take a look at the Wildcats’ four-game slate they’re currently in the middle of. They beat No. 20 Notre Dame 17-16. Then they took down No. 3 Syracuse 17-16 in overtime. On Sunday, they take a trip to Chapel Hill to face No. 2 North Carolina. After that, they host No. 6 Stony Brook on Thursday.

Want to learn more about your team? Throw them through the ringer in February and March. That’s what Kelly Amonte Hiller is doing, and it’s already paying off.

GAMES TO WATCH
ALL TIMES EASTERN

GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 5 Northwestern at No. 2 North Carolina

There are a few options here, but if we’re talking implications, then this game is the way to go.

If Boston College makes it through Louisville unscathed on Saturday, then Northwestern-v-UNC is effectively for the No. 2 ranking in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20. Northwestern already defeated No. 3 Syracuse this week, and that should be both a confidence booster for the Wildcats and a good barometer of just how good they are.

UNC and Syracuse are similar offensively — they’re deep, dynamic and patient. But UNC has the clear edge defensively. Northwestern will have to capitalize on scoring opportunities. The Wildcats won’t get to many gimmies here.

UPSET WATCH

UMass at UConn

Charlotte Varnes wrote this week about UConn’s focus on getting out of the gates quicker. The Huskies have started slowly in just about every game this season, and against a UMass team that can find the back of the net, that’s a recipe for disaster.

Although neither team is ranked at the moment, UConn only recently dropped out of the Top 20. UMass is 3-1 with its only loss a 22-5 drubbing at the hands of Boston College. UConn is a good tuneup for Vanderbilt, its next opponent, too.

UMass has six players with at least five goals, four with at least eight points and a two-headed monster leading the charge in Kendra Harbinger (12 goals) and Alex Finn (10 goals). UConn has a lot to deal with on that end of the field.

BEST GAME NO ONE’S TALKING ABOUT

No. 7 Duke at No. 3 Syracuse

Here’s the test for Duke. The Blue Devils are 6-0 but have yet to play a team anywhere near the Top 20, so opening up ACC play against Syracuse is a giant leap in competition. Still, there’s no doubting the depth of this Duke offense, and it all starts with 6-2 dynamo Maddie Jenner on the draw.

Syracuse can counter Jenner with either Katelyn Mashewske or Emily Hawryschuk inside the circle, and while each offers something different, neither can match the height of Jenner. Few can, after all.

Syracuse is still the favorite here because the Orange are already battle tested. But Duke is the type of team that can come into the Dome and clip the Cuse if it plays a perfect offensive game.

UNDER-THE-RADAR STARS

Jill Girardi, Northwestern

Is it appropriate to still consider Girardi underappreciated? She’s been a staple of Northwestern’s 4-1 start, and in the Wildcats’ last two games — both one-goal wins — she’s combined for five goals and 21 draw controls. Both because of her prowess on the draw and her ability to score, as Girardi goes, so goes the Northwestern offense.

Melissa Hawkins, Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt on the whole isn’t talked about a ton, so it’s not surprising for a defender like Melissa Hawkins to not get a ton of love. But in the Commodores’ 3-0 start, she’s already caused a team-high 10 turnovers and corralled six ground balls (second on the team).

Emilia Bohi, Denver

A true freshman starting between the pipes for the Pios, Bohi has saved 44.4 percent of the shots she’s faced — not great, but also not bad for a freshman. To put that in the context of her competition, Denver’s opponents have included an ACC foe in Louisville, the defending Pac-12 champion in Stanford and an Ohio State team that threatened in the Big Ten last spring.

SMALL COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK

Division II — No. 3 Le Moyne vs. No. 1 Lindenwood (in Sparks, Md.)

These two recent NCAA champions (Le Moyne in 2018 and Lindenwood in 2021) are once again among the top contenders for the title in 2022. Le Moyne survived an opening day scare against No. 13 Mercy on Wednesday, eeking out a 10-9 win on Jessica Meneilly’s goal with 10 seconds remaining. The Dolphins are starting the season with four straight games against ranked opponents, including contests against No. 2 UIndy and No. 7 Roberts Wesleyan to follow Sunday’s test against Lindenwood. The defending champion Lions bring a 4-0 mark into this contest behind an offense averaging just under 19 goals per game. — Paul Ohanian

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