NCAA men's lacrosse tournament semifinal schedule, preview: ACC trio takes on Princeton

The NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament semifinals will be held in Charlottesville, Virginia, for the first time since 1982, featuring four elite programs. Princeton, the No. 1 seed, will face Duke in the first matchup at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN2, while Notre Dame (No. 2 seed) will play Syracuse (No. 6 seed) at 2:30 PM ET. Princeton, with six national championships and a 15-2 record, defeated Marist and Penn State to reach the semifinals. Duke, the lone unseeded team in the final four, secured wins over Richmond and Georgetown with a strong defensive record and recent offensive surge. Princeton’s top players include attackers Nate Kabiri (35 goals, 43 assists) and Colin Burns (30 goals, 19 assists), while Duke relies on midfielder Ben Johnston (40 goals, 8 assists) and attacker Michael Ortlieb (24 goals, 17 assists). Notre Dame, the No. 2 seed, will face Syracuse in the second semifinal. The Fighting Irish, with two recent titles, defeated Jacksonville and Johns Hopkins, while Syracuse, the No. 6 seed, overcame Yale and North Carolina. Syracuse’s Joey Spallina (35 goals, 50 assists) leads the Orange, who aim to avenge their 16-11 regular-season loss to Notre Dame. This tournament marks a historic return to Virginia, with Princeton and Notre Dame representing Ivy League and ACC powerhouses. The semifinals set the stage for a potential championship rematch, as both Princeton and Notre Dame have recent titles, while Duke and Syracuse seek to break through in the final four.