Ncaa Women's Lacrosse

No. 1 Northwestern (21-0) vs. No. 4 Pennsylvania (15-2)

When: Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Outlook: The Wildcats won the title last season, 10-6, over Penn, but the Quakers are the last team to beat the four-time defending champs, on April 27, 2008. The Wildcats have won 27 straight since. A goal-scoring machine, Northwestern needs just eight goals to break the Division I single-season record of 380 set last season by Syracuse. A lot of that offense starts with Hannah Nielsen (59 goals), the 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy winner who has an NCAA-record 75 goals this season as well as a career record 216. She had seven points in the regular-season 11-9 win over the Quakers. That was the Wildcats' fifth win in six meetings with Penn in three years, including three NCAA tournament wins. The Ivy League champs, led by Ali DeLuca (36, 14), average 10.93 goals per game compared with Northwestern's Division I-leading 17.76. Penn, however, allows just 5.76 goals per game, the best in Division I, while the Wildcats rank second (6.62).

No. 2 Maryland (21-0) vs. No. 3 North Carolina (15-4)

When: Friday, 8:30 p.m.

Outlook: The Terrapins have won the past four meetings with their Atlantic Coast Conference rivals, including a 13-8 decision April 11, but it's never easy. The last time they met in the NCAA tournament, in 2006, the Tar Heels won. Maryland is best known for its offense, averaging 15.95 goals per game, which ranks third in Division I. The Terps have six players with 40 or more points, led by freshman Karri Ellen Johnson (70 goals, 12 assists) and three World Cup players, Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Caitlyn McFadden (54, 31), Sarah Mollison (42, 39) and Laura Merrifield (45, 2). A rather unheralded defense allows just 9.17 goals per game. The Tar Heels score 11.27 goals per game but allow just 8.91. Led on defense by Tewaaraton finalist and World Cup player Amber Falcone (Winters Mill), the Tar Heels are led on attack by Megan Bosica (33, 19), a former All-Metro Player of the Year from Mount Hebron.