NCAA Division I Tournament: Second Round

It’s an ACC rivalry faceoff between host, North Carolina, and Duke in the Division I NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals.

Reigning champion North Carolina comes in off of a strong First Round win, defeating Delaware 4-0. Three goals in the first quarter from Ciana Riccardo, Katie Dixon, and Lisa Slinkert – representing the back, midfield, and forward line – set the tone against the Blue Hens. The Tar Heels recorded 27 shots in the game, while holding Delaware to 0 recorded shots with their stout defense. Sietske Bruning tallied one more in the fourth quarter, as North Carolina advanced to the Quarterfinals and extended their perfect 19-0 record.

Duke comes into Sunday’s game 13-6, having fallen to Boston College in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament after defeating them 1-0 in the regular season. After recieving a well-deserved at-large bid, the Blue Devils edged Maryland in a 1-0 thriller in the First Round, with senior midfielder Kira Curland scoring the lone goal. The match was a defensive battle, with both teams tallying just three shots on goal, and Duke's Frederique Wollaert making the save on all three.

North Carolina has been victorious the last 11 meetings with the Blue Devils, most recently with a 5-2 win in ACC play this season. Last fall, the Tar Heels dashed Duke in both conference play and the ACC Championship.

FINAL: NORTH CAROLINA 3 - 0 DUKE

After only losing once this season, in the B1G championship, Northwestern looks to keep chipping away to earn themselves a seat in the NCAA Championship game yet again. The Wildcats made a statement in their First Round victory, sending a message with a 9-2 win over Miami (Ohio). The nine tallies, which included two from Lane Herbert, Olivia Bent-Cole, and Ilse Tromp, match the record for most goals scored in an NCAA Tournament game. The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 77-13 this year, with Ashley Sessa leading the team in goals (22). Northwestern has fallen to North Carolina in the past two NCAA Championships, after winning it all against Liberty in 2021.

Fans just missed out on a B1G Championship rematch when Virginia took a thrilling 2-1 victory over Michigan on Friday. Suze Leemans opened up the scoring, defelecting in a penalty corner shot from Jans Croon. The teams played some exciting back-and-forth hockey until the fourth quarter, when Daniela Mendez-Trender backhanded a shot to put the Cavaliers up 2-0. Kate McLaughlin tallied a goal for Michigan with two minutes remaining, but the Virginia defense held strong for the win. The Cavaliers are 14-4 as they come into this game, losing only to three ACC opponents and Saint Joseph's this fall.

The duo last dueled in 2022, when Northwestern won 3-2. Both teams had a 1-0 victory over Maryland this season.

FINAL: NORTHWESTERN 3 - 2 (OT) VIRGINIA

Harvard and UMass will face each other for the second time this season, this time for a spot in the NCAA Tournament Semifinals.

Harvard comes into this game after a huge overtime win against Syracuse to keep their season alive. Scoreless after regulation, the Crimson had to fight in overtime for a third consecutive match, and sophomore midfielder Lara Beekhuis slotted the game-winner.

Harvard is now on a six-game win streak, including winning the Ivy League Championship in overtime against Princeton. Earlier in this season, the Crimson played UMass in an extremely tight non-conference meeting, taking a 2-1 victory after shootouts.

Massachusetts earned their at-large bid after a solid season, and showed in the First Round exactly why they deserved it. The Minutewomen had a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over No. 4 in the nation and regional host UConn. The Huskies struck first at just six minutes in, and UMass stayed on their heels for the first half, trailing 1-0. Post-halftime, the Minutewomen had renewed energy, finally getting on the board at minute 48 with a goal from Paula Lorenzini off of a crossed ball from Alexa Collins. Hannah de Gast netted the gamewinner with just five minutes left to play off of a penalty corner.

FINAL: HARVARD 0 - 1 UMASS

Two team, seperated by just 50 miles, will play in an official match for the very first time as Saint Joseph's hosts Princeton in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Saint Joseph’s comes into this game with a 18-3 record, most recently defeating Lafayette, 1-0, in the First Round to keep their season alive. The lone goal came in the fourth quarter from Alison Buffington, while the defense shut out the Leopards, not allowing a single shot on goal. Princeton comes in after a hard fought 1-0 upset over Boston College. The Tigers lost the Ivy League Championship in overtime to Harvard, but earned their NCAA at-large bid after a successful season.

Both Princeton and Saint Joseph's are in the top ten rankings for fewest goals allowed this season. It should be a low scoring game between these two, and could come down to a single goal to decided who will make the trip up to Ann Arbor, Mich.

FINAL: SAINT JOSEPH'S 1 - 0 PRINCETON