NCAA women's tournament quarterfinals
Loyola (17-4) @ No. 4 Syracuse (15-7)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Outlook: The Greyhounds are aiming for their first trip to the final four since 2003 — and their first national championship — against a familiar foe. The teams have met nine times with the Orange winning six, but Loyola won 9-8 two weeks ago. Dulaney graduate Kara Burke (68 goals, 21 assists) and John Carroll graduate Annie Thomas (37, 51) lead the Greyhounds, who upset fifth-seed Boston College in the semifinals where Burke tied an NCAA record with eight goals. Two-time Tewaaraton finalist Kayla Treanor (57, 29) leads the Orange, also aiming for their first national title.
Penn State (16-4) @ No. 2 North Carolina (16-3)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Outlook: The 2013 national champions, North Carolina hasn't met the Nittany Lions since 2009, but that was a 7-6 double-overtime NCAA tournament win for the Tar Heels, who lead the series 9-3. The Big Ten champion Nittany Lions, who upset seventh-seeded Virginia 13-11 in the second round, are looking for their third NCAA championship and their first since 1989. The Lions, who have 13 players from the Baltimore area, are led by Liberty graduate Maggie McCormick (22 goals, 43 assists) and Tatum Coffey (42, 11). Aly Messinger (36, 15) leads the Tar Heels, who have won 15 of their last 16 NCAA home games.
Princeton (16-3) @ No. 3 Duke (15-4)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Outlook: The Tigers and Blue Devils are even in their all-time meetings at eight wins each, but Duke has won the last five, most recently a 10-9 second-round game two years ago. The Ivy League champion Tigers won their eighth straight with the 8-4 upset of sixth-seeded Stony Brook last week. The Blue Devils lost two of their last three games, falling to North Carolina and Johns Hopkins before beating USC, 17-9, in the second round. Two Carroll County natives lead the Tigers as they aim for their fourth national title — Erin Slifer (South Carroll) with 41 goals and 29 assists and Erin McMunn (Winters Mill) with 29, 18. Kerrin Mauer leads Duke with 41, 29.
No. 8 Northwestern (14-6) @ No. 1 Maryland (18-1)
When: Sunday, noon
Outlook: The defending national champion Terps defeated Northwestern 16-5 in the first-ever Big Ten Conference women's lacrosse game to improve their series lead to 9-6. The Terps also beat the Wildcats in last year's national semifinals. In a clash of the two most successful programs in women's lacrosse history — Maryland with 12 national titles, Northwestern with seven — Taylor Cummings, the 2014 Tewaaraton winner, (56 goals, 30 assists, 130 draw controls) leads the Terps while freshman Selena Lasota (67 goals, 9 assists) leads the Wildcats. In the March meeting, Cummings (McDonogh) won 13 draws and the Terps led by 10 early in the second half.