For sure, a lot of attention is going to be heaped on the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse tournament, as four tickets will be punched to the national semifinals, and four teams will go home.
But there will be 24 equally gripping and meaningful games in college lacrosse starting tomorrow. Those games will be the octofinal and quarterfinal rounds of the NCAA Division II and Division III championships.
If there are five games you need to watch over the next three days, here are some suggestions — including some that are purely speculative:
Division II octofinal: Maryville vs. Indianapolis. This game, scneduled for tomorrow, should be a donnybrook. One year ago, Indy ended Maryville’s season with consecutive losses in the GLVC and NCAA tournaments. This year, the teams have already split two games, and this third one is as high-stakes as it gets.
Division II quarterfinal (depending on results): Pace vs. Adelphi. Both of these teams have been at the summit in Division II in recent year, and the Setters are your defending champions. Adelphi, which won the last of its nine titles in 2019, is looking for a return to the Final Four.
Division III octofinal: William Smith vs. Gettysburg. This game, being held on Saturday, is a dream matchup of former champions. This also is a rematch of a national semfinal from a year ago, when Gettysburg won 15-10.
Division III octofinal: Washington & Lee vs. Christopher Newport. These two Virginia schools have crossed swords over the years, with Newport winning 15 of the first 16 meetings. However, the Generals won the season-opener in February. This game will end one or the other’s season.
Division III quarterfinal (depending on results): Middlebury vs. Ithaca. If these two sides meet up on Sunday, it could be better than the final. Ithaca is 18-1 on the season, and Middlebury is the two-time defending title-holder at 19-0. It would be worth a look if you have a chance.
