Welcome to the Gameday Guide.

Every weekend during the college lacrosse season, USA Lacrosse Magazine staff will riff here on the juiciest matchups, trendiest topics, biggest storylines and hottest takes.

As always, check out our TV Listings page for the entire list of games coming up.

GAMES TO WATCH
All times Eastern

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 8 Stony Brook

Way back on February 14, North Carolina and Stony Brook clashed in the first game of the season for both teams. UNC walked away with a premium Valentine’s Day victory, while the Seawolves left Chapel Hill with nothing more than melted chocolates.

Or did they?

Stony Brook’s offense has since become a more efficient, dangerous unit than it was on opening day — a game in which neither team had much time to prep for its opponent, as it came together at the last-minute due to COVID-19 scheduling quirks.

Still, few teams have been able to crack through a UNC defense that’s allowed just 6.11 goals per game. The Tar Heels, led by Emma Trenchard and Taylor Moreno, have only allowed double-digit goals twice.

Can the Stony Brook defense hold serve? The Seawolves allowed 8.33 goals per game, though many will be quick to point out that many of their games were played against the America East. Holding UNC’s vaunted attack down is something few teams have been able to come close to doing.

Under-The-Radar Star to Watch: Rayna Sabella, Stony Brook

You might remember Sabella as an up-and-coming midfielder. That still might be in her future. But once Haley Dillon went down with an injury, Sabella shifted to defense and has since carved out an integral role on Joe Spallina’s defense. Because Stony Brook’s defense needs to go stop-for-stop with UNC, she’ll need to continue to play well.

No. 2 Northwestern vs. No. 7 Duke

The No. 1 offense in the nation squaring off against a goalkeeper one week removed from arguably the best performance of her career? Sign us up.

The gripe with Northwestern is that, no matter how many goals Izzy Scane and Co. score, almost none of it’s been done against out-of-conference competition. The Wildcats handled their first non-conference test of the season by throttling Denver in the second round 19-4.

Next up is Duke, the first ACC team Northwestern will play this spring. Duke’s defense was the story against Maryland. As the Blue Devils’ offense cooled for nearly 20 minutes, the Terps were able to climb back in. With 20 seconds left, Maryland got possession back and zipped down the field, firing a shot on cage with the clock ticking away.

Sophia LeRose was there to make a save at the buzzer, securing a one-goal win. This is a Duke team with more balance than years past, and it’s making its first quarterfinal appearance since 2015. The defense needs to lock in yet again to slow down an offense that hasn’t been slowed once this year.

Under-The-Radar Star to Watch: Erin Coykendall, Northwestern

The sophomore attacker from Spencerport, N.Y., is not necessarily atop the list of scoring options. But Northwestern’s high-paced, share-the-ball offense has allowed Coykendall to thrive as a feeder. She’s started all 14 games she’s played and has 18 goals with 42 assists — including 16 assists in the last three games.

No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 6 Florida

An easy candidate for game of the week.

Both teams rank in the top 10 in scoring defense (Florida, No. 2; Syracuse, No. 10), and both teams are top-tier on the offensive side, too. Each team does a lot of things well.

They command possession on the draw. They distribute the ball (both rank top-10 nationally in assists per game). They limit offensive chances. They make saves.

It sounds simplistic, but the team that loses this game will be the one that falls short in even one of those areas.

Both Florida and Syracuse have the chops and talent to be worthy contenders on Championship Weekend. As to who will emerge victorious? It looks like a toss-up.

Under-The-Radar Star to Watch: Paisley Eagan, Florida

The redshirt-sophomore midfielder has 30 goals and 43 draw controls on the year, showcasing her value on both gaining and ending possessions. She’s also feisty between the 30s, having accrued 19 ground balls this spring.

No. 4 Boston College vs. No. 5 Notre Dame

The old and (definitely not) overused saying is that it’s difficult to beat a team three times in one season. Boston College is out to test that theory.

Boston College’s two-game output against Notre Dame this year was 39, outscoring the Irish by 14 goals across those games in mid-April. Bridget Deehan, one of the top netminders in the nation, struggled in both contests — as did the Notre Dame defense as a whole.

Both of those games came in one weekend, so with a month’s worth of time to stew on those losses and plan for a potential rematch, Chris Halfpenny’s group should throw different looks at BC’s versatile offense.

If it will be enough to slow down Charlotte North and Co. is anyone’s guess.

Under-The-Radar Star to Watch: Kelly Donnelly, Notre Dame,

If we’re talking Notre Dame defense, then look no farther than graduate student Kelly Donnelly. She works well in Notre Dame’s system and has accrued 14 caused turnovers and 13 ground balls this spring.