NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals Set After Opening-Round Shakeups.

The road to championship weekend tightens this Saturday and Sunday as the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse quarterfinals take center stage with four marquee matchups split between Hofstra and Delaware. While several top seeds were bounced during opening weekend, the tournament’s top three seeds — Princeton, Notre Dame and North Carolina — remain alive heading into the sport’s biggest weekend so far. Saturday’s action in Hempstead features a heavyweight defensive battle between Notre Dame and Johns Hopkins before longtime

rivals North Carolina and Syracuse renew their ACC rivalry with a Final Four berth at stake.

Notre Dame Looks to Continue Title Push Against Surging Johns Hopkins

Second-seeded Notre Dame enters the quarterfinals playing some of its best lacrosse of the season after dismantling Jacksonville 18-5 in the opening round. The Irish offense erupted for its highest goal total in more than two months, while the defense once again showed why Notre Dame remains one of the favorites to win another national title.

The Irish have dropped only two games all season, both against a Virginia squad that has since been eliminated. Defensively, Notre Dame is anchored by Tewaaraton finalist Shawn Lyght, elite long-stick midfielder Will Donovan and veteran goalie Thomas Ricciardelli, a unit allowing fewer than nine goals per game. Johns Hopkins arrives with momentum of its own after grinding out a dramatic 9-8 overtime win over defending national champion Cornell. The Blue Jays completely controlled the second half defensively, holding Cornell to just two shots on goal after halftime and overtime combined. Defenseman Luke Martin delivered one of the best performances of the opening round, shutting down Cornell star Willem Firth while forcing five turnovers. Midfielder Jimmy Ayers provided the late heroics, scoring both the fourth-quarter equalizer and the overtime game-winner. Historically, this matchup has belonged to the NCAA tournament. Every meeting between the programs has come in postseason play, with Hopkins holding a narrow 4-3 edge in the all-time series. Notre Dame won the most recent tournament meeting, a 12-9 quarterfinal victory in 2023.

One key factor Saturday could be Johns Hopkins attackman Hunter Chauvette. The Blue Jays’ leading scorer has consistently produced against elite competition, including a six-goal outburst against Virginia earlier this season. If Hopkins hopes to crack Notre Dame’s disciplined defense, Chauvette’s outside shooting ability will likely be central to the upset bid.

North Carolina-Syracuse Rivalry Renewed With Final Four Spot on the Line

The second quarterfinal in Hempstead features two familiar ACC opponents meeting with vastly different paths to the final eight. North Carolina overwhelmed UAlbany 24-6 behind a historic performance from Dom Pietramala, who set NCAA tournament and program records with 10 goals in a single game. The Tar Heels offense has been explosive all season, especially with faceoff specialist Brady Wambach controlling possession at the stripe.

Still, questions remain for UNC entering the weekend. Since opening the year 10-1, the Tar Heels have struggled to maintain consistency and are searching for consecutive victories for the first time in more than a month. Syracuse survived one of the most entertaining games of the opening round, edging Yale 16-15 behind clutch late saves from goalie Jimmy McCool. Veteran attackman Joey Spallina continues to lead an Orange offense capable of scoring in bunches from multiple positions. The biggest concern for Syracuse may be location. The Orange were unbeaten at home this season but have been far less dominant away from the JMA Wireless Dome, posting a losing record in road and neutral-site games.

North Carolina has controlled much of the recent history in the rivalry, winning seven of the last nine meetings, including two victories over Syracuse earlier this season. However, this will mark the first NCAA tournament matchup between the schools since Syracuse eliminated UNC in the 1996 quarterfinals. Health and lineup decisions could shape the outcome. UNC star Owen Duffy missed the opening-round win with an injury after playing a major role in the Tar Heels’ ACC tournament victory over Syracuse earlier this month. There is also uncertainty in goal after veteran Kent Goode replaced freshman Josh Marcus against UAlbany and responded with a strong eight-save performance. Whether North Carolina sticks with experience in net or returns to Marcus, who played well in both regular-season wins over Syracuse, may become one of the defining decisions of the weekend.