Mon May 12 00:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Begins: Notre Dame Seeks Three-peat, Upsets Expected

**Foxborough, MA** – The race for the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship is underway, with 16 teams vying for the title on Memorial Day in Foxborough, Massachusetts. This year’s tournament features several notable absences, including lacrosse powerhouses Virginia, Johns Hopkins, Denver, and Loyola (Maryland), creating an exciting shakeup in the field.

While many seeded teams boast previous championship wins, the path to victory is far from clear. The most compelling matchup pits two-time defending champion Notre Dame against Ohio State. The Fighting Irish, unseeded this year, face a challenging rematch against the Buckeyes, who defeated them earlier this season. This pairing, however, is considered a tough draw for both teams.

Another intriguing rematch sees Harvard, who upset Syracuse earlier in the season, facing the Orange again in the round of 16. This victory helped propel Harvard into the tournament as an at-large bid.

All eyes are on Cornell’s CJ Kirst, the Tewaaraton Award favorite, who recently broke the Division I career goals record. His prolific scoring, along with Cornell’s high-powered offense, makes them a strong contender. However, other stars like Notre Dame’s Chris Kavanagh, Syracuse’s Joey Spallina, and Maryland’s Logan McNaney are poised to make their mark.

Several teams with Championship Weekend experience, including Ohio State and Penn State, aim for their first title. Their potential quarterfinal clash adds another layer of excitement to the tournament. Penn State will have to first overcome a strong Colgate team, however.

The round of 16 matchups are as follows:

* Richmond at North Carolina, noon
* Towson at Princeton, 2:30 p.m.
* Colgate at Penn State, 5 p.m.
* Georgetown at Duke, 7:30 p.m.
* Notre Dame at Ohio State, noon
* Air Force at Maryland, 2:30 p.m.
* Harvard at Syracuse, 5 p.m.
* Albany at Cornell, 7:30 p.m.

Winners will advance to the quarterfinals next weekend in Hempstead, New York, and Annapolis, Maryland. The tournament promises thrilling games and unexpected outcomes as teams battle for the ultimate prize.

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