At noon this Sunday, May 18, Johns Hopkins (11-4) will take on the Duke Blue Devils (14-3) in what should be one of the best matchups we will see in the year’s tournament.
For Johns Hopkins, defeating Duke would mean getting back to the NCAA Semi-Finals for the first time since 2008. Since then, they have made a few different appearances in the tournament, falling every time in the quarterfinals.
Since the days of Paul Rabil, Hopkins has been unable to really make a mark in the tournament, but defeating the always competitive Duke would do just that. However, defeating the reigning NCAA Champions will be no easy task.
At this point, the Duke Blue Devils are almost synonymous with NCAA lacrosse. Players, professionals, and fans alike would be surprised if Duke was not here competing, and this puts even more pressure on the team to come out with the win.
The toughest part about all sports is defending the title. While Duke has made several appearances in the tournament, they have never been able to repeat as champions—something that will certainly be on the entire teams mind come this Sunday.
Both teams came out of the first round with solid wins, but now the real test begins. Two of the strongest, most storied lacrosse schools in the country will now face off in what is sure to be a classic.
