(Photo Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Athletics)

Welcome to week 11 of the college lacrosse season, Y’all.

It is rivalry week. Johns Hopkins-Maryland, Ohio State-Michigan, Syracuse-Virginia, and Princeton-Penn headline what is one of the last weekends of the regular season.

Here’s a look at each of those four rivalry games:

Syracuse vs Virginia (Saturday, 2pm, ESPNU)

Storyline to Watch: Can Syracuse Snap The Streak?

Saturday’s home contest versus rival Virginia is the Orange’s last regular season game of the season. For Virginia, it is their second to last with a date versus Notre Dame on the Cavaliers’ slate next week. Virginia comes into this weekend with a 21-20 all-time lead in the series, which dates back to 1938. The Cavaliers have won each of the past three meetings and done so by an average of 7.3 goals.

Syracuse has a top 10 offense (14.71 goals per game) and a top 15 scoring defense (9.86 goals allowed per game). Mason Kohn has also elevated them at the dot, going 60% as a top 10 faceoff man nationally. This talented Orange squad has the ability on Saturday to snap their losing streak with the Cavaliers and get a marquee win to further boost their NCAA Tournament resume before the ACC Tournament. Syracuse is 2-2 since beating Duke on March 20th with really no marquee wins in that four-game stretch as they beat Hobart and North Carolina. The Orange lost to Cornell and Notre Dame.

Matchup to Watch: Virginia’s D Plan Versus Joey Spallina

Joey Spallina leads the Syracuse Orange offense with 76 points off 29 goals and 47 assists. He has had a point in ever game and has only once (Notre Dame, 1G) been held to just one point. He had no goals versus Army, Duke, and Hobart.

On Saturday, Spallina faces a Virginia defense that has this season looked bigger and more physical across the board than the group that held him scoreless a year ago. Cade Saustad drew that matchup last season. Whether it is Cole Kastner who draws the Spallina matchup or not, Syracuse’s top offensive weapon will get a lot of love from the Virginia defense. How that matchup overall goes will be one to watch.

Tanner’s Pick: Virginia

Johns Hopkins vs Maryland (Saturday, 4pm, ESPNU)

Storyline to Watch: Late-Game Jays

Over the past month since Big Ten play began, the Blue Jays have shown the ability to close out games better than most. Johns Hopkins is 17-7 in the fourth quarter versus Big Ten teams. They have won each of their past two games (Penn State, Ohio State) in overtime. Matt Collison score the game-winner in both of those overtime battles. It is a contrast to the Blue Jays’ first eight games of the season where they went 5-3 with two of those losses (Denver, Navy) coming in overtime.

Could more late-game success be in the Blue Jays’ future come Saturday against arch rival Maryland.

Matchup to Watch: The Luke Wierman Impact

Luke Wierman is going 59% (144-for-244) at the faceoff dot this season, continuing to stake his claim as one of the best faceoff men in college lacrosse. Michigan’s Justin Wietfeldt is the only Big Ten opponent who has given him too much trouble, holding him to a season-low 37%. Since he has gone 59% versus Penn State, 72% versus Ohio State, and 52% versus Rutgers.

Hopkins has seen both Tyler Dunn and Logan Callahan take draws at the dot this season. Callahan is 51% on the year while Dunn is 41% on the year. The Blue Jays are going 47% as a team at the dot. If he stays locked in, Wierman has the opportunity to give the Terrapins a real advantage.

Tanner’s Pick: Maryland

Princeton vs Penn (Saturday, 5pm, ESPN +)

Storyline to Watch: Another Stellar Game From Emmett Carroll?

Backstopping the Penn defense, Emmett Carroll has continued to prove himself as one of the best and most consistent goalies in college lacrosse this spring. He had made a total of 182 saves with a 60% save percentage this spring. Facing a ton of shots (492 to be exact) this spring he has only three performances where he made less than 16 saves. He has made 17, 16, and 18 saves each of the past three weeks versus Cornell, Yale, and Harvard.

Another strong performance from Carroll wouldn’t be surprising. Such a game from the goalie may very well play a key role in a potential Penn win.

Matchup to Watch: Who Has The Edge at The Dot?

Princeton is facing off at a 47% clip as a team. They were eaten up at the spot in an upset loss to Brown a week ago. Penn has also been not too hot at the dot this season, going 45% as a team. Mac Eldridge (48%) has taken the majority of draws for Penn while Andrew McMeekin (52%) has been the primary man for Princeton.

How things go at the dot and whether either team can gain an edge there will be something to watch.

Tanner’s Pick: Penn

Ohio State vs Michigan (Saturday, 7pm, Big Ten Network)

Storyline to Watch: Who Wants The Win More?

It might be the oldest cliche in the book but when it comes to rivalry games that often means the record books are thrown out the window and anything can happen. On Saturday, both Ohio State and Michigan enter the battle in similar spots. The visiting Wolverines are riding a three-game losing streak while Ohio State has dropped each of their last two games. Both of those Ohio State losses came by a goal, which includes an overtime defeat to Johns Hopkins last week.

Saturday’s contest gives the winning team bragging rights for an entire year over their rival and will also help settle those final three seeds in the Big Ten Tournament. Last year’s win in this game for Michigan helped spark their May. Needless to say, a lot is riding on and could come about with a win here for either team.

Matchup to Watch: How Does Ohio State Handle Justin Tiernan?

Justin Tiernan (43G/3A) is second in the nation and first in the Big Ten, averaging 3.58 goals per game. As a leader of this Michigan offense along with Ryan Cohen and Michael Boehm, that group will face a stout Ohio State defense led by defensemen Bobby Van Buren and Marcus Hudgins. Standout freshman Caleb Fyock (128 saves, 53%) anchors that Buckeye defense.

How this Buckeye defense plays that Michigan offense and works to limit or deny Tiernan’s shooting will be something to watch closely in this contest.

Tanner’s Pick: Ohio State