7 Most Intriguing Matchups of the 2015 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Season
Already salivating over the best matchups of the upcoming season?
If not, these seven slated for this spring should whet your appetite for college lacrosse.
Each team in Division I can play anywhere from 13 to 20 games—including Conference and National Tournament action. The following list is only a selection of the most intriguing matchups the 2015 season has to offer.
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Let's rip:
7. Army at Navy, April 11
What Happened Last Season: Army 14, Navy 7
Player To Watch: Army's Sam Somers, Goalie (Sr.)
Any time the United States military academies face off on "fields of friendly strife"—in any sport—it's always a feel-good experience for fans. You won't find a ton of national stat-leaders on either of these squads, but these future servicemen are some of the best-trained amateur athletes in the world.
If you like straightforward, hard-nosed lacrosse, where a couple of gritty ground balls could make all the difference, this is the game for you. Although both teams are long shots to overtake Loyola (Md.) as the top team in the Patriot League, Army goalie Sam Somers should give the Black Knights a significant advantage in this matchup. Last season, as a junior, Somers posted the lowest goals-against average (5.43) in all of DI college lacrosse.
| Sat. 3/7 | Denver | Notre Dame |
| Sun. 3/22 | Syracuse | Duke |
| Fri. 4/3 | Virginia | North Carolina |
| Sun. 4/5 | Michigan | Ohio State |
| Sat. 4/11 | Navy | Army |
| Sat. 4/25 | Princeton | Cornell |
| Sun. 4/26 | Maryland | Johns Hopkins |
6. Ohio State at Michigan, April 5
What Happened Last Season: Ohio State 15, Michigan 6
Player To Watch: Ohio State's Jessie King, Midfield (Sr.)
One of the fiercest rivalries in all of college athletics is the one that exists between Columbus, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Only lately has the hatred spread onto the lacrosse field, yet the rivalry already has all the makings of a future fan favorite. With both teams leaving the ECAC and helping form a new Big Ten conference, this matchup will gain a considerable amount of legitimacy in 2015.
After dominating club-level competition for years, the Wolverines showed their first signs of improvement at the NCAA level last season with five wins. Still, they have some ground to make up on the Buckeyes, who advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals two years ago. We'll see if Michigan can close the gap on Ohio State at all, leveling the playing field in this historic rivalry.
5. Princeton at Cornell, April 25
What Happened Last Season: Cornell 12, Princeton 10
Player To Watch: Princeton's Braedon Gait, Midfield (Fr.)
A classic Ivy League clash, Princeton and Cornell will again face off on the lacrosse field in late April. These are two very visible teams with nine National Championships and 15 NCAA Finals appearances between them. Neither team is considered a favorite to reach this year's title game, but past success is enough to generate interest in this 2015 matchup.
After Cornell ended Princeton's mediocre season last year, the Tigers will be armed with a new weapon when they take the trip up to Ithaca, N.Y., for a rematch in April. Freshman midfielder Braedon Gait belongs to one of lacrosse's royal families. His father, Gary Gait, is widely considered the "Wayne Gretzky" of the sport, and his uncle Paul wasn't too shabby either. The magic of the name is reason enough to tune in.
4. Notre Dame at Denver, March 7
What Happened Last Season: Denver 10, Notre Dame 7
Player To Watch: Notre Dame's Matt Kavanagh, Attack (Jr.)
Two up-and-coming western powers will go head-to-head when Notre Dame and Denver square off in early March. Both teams are gradually creeping closer to a National Championship; the Pioneers are now accustomed to playing on Memorial Day Weekend, and the Fighting Irish fell in the NCAA Finals last season and in 2010—both against Duke.
This matchup should feature no shortage of scoring. Denver posted the nation's third-most productive offense last season, averaging more than 13 goals per game. Netting most of Notre Dame's goals will be junior attackman Matt Kavanagh, a player to watch for the 2015 Tewaaraton Award, and monster man-child Sergio Perkovic, a 220-pound sophomore midfielder.
3. Johns Hopkins at Maryland, April 26
What Happened Last Season: Johns Hopkins 11, Maryland 6 (JHU Homecoming)
Player To Watch: Johns Hopkins' Stanwick Brothers, Attack
The best addition to the newly formed Big Ten is the old-school rivalry between Johns Hopkins and Maryland. These two teams are constantly battling for supremacy in the state of Maryland; this year they'll fight for the upper hand in the same conference for the first time.
After losing a handful of seniors to graduation, including starting goalie Niko Amato and standout midfielder Mike Chanenchuk, the Terrapins might be entering a bit of a rebuilding year in 2015. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, are on the rise. All fans of quality lacrosse are eager to see two Stanwick brothers—Wells, a senior, and Shack, a freshman—team up within Hopkins' attack unit.
2. North Carolina at Virginia, April 3
What Happened Last Season: North Carolina 11, Virginia 10 (reg. season); Virginia 13, North Carolina 11 (ACC Showcase Game)
Player To Watch: North Carolina's Joey Sankey, Attack (Sr.)
Even the last-place team in the ACC is usually a top-10 team nationally. Last year, North Carolina and Virginia were two squads at the bottom of the conference, relegated to a postseason "Showcase Game" instead of participating in the actual ACC tournament. Both UNC and U.Va. want to avoid a similar embarrassment in 2015.
The Tar Heels and Cavaliers are two similar teams, both posting 10-win seasons last year. They split their two meetings in 2014—the first a one-goal win by North Carolina, the second a two-goal victory by Virginia. Fans tuning into this early-April matchup are all but guaranteed another closely contested clash between ACC heavyweights.
1. Duke at Syracuse, March 22
What Happened Last Season: Duke 21, Syracuse 7 (reg. season); Syracuse 16, Duke 15 (ACC Semifinal)
Player To Watch: Duke's Myles Jones, Midfielder (Jr.)
If there's such a thing as an "America's Team" in college lacrosse, it's the Syracuse Orange. Unless, of course, Duke has overtaken them in recent years. The Blue Devils have won the last two National Championships; they and Syracuse have combined for five of the last seven titles.
Two of the finest coaches in the country, Duke's John Danowski and Syracuse's John Desko, will deploy the best talent in college lacrosse against each other. The Blue Devils have Myles Jones, a nearly unstoppable beast in the midfield. To counter, the Orange have an experienced and balanced attack line in Kevin Rice, Randy Staats and Dylan Donahue.
Which of these mighty teams will overpower the other this March?
Follow Kevin Boilard on Twitter: @KevinBoilard
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