Breaking down each of the matchups from the men's and women's Division I lacrosse semifinals.
Men’s Final Four: Saturday in Philadelphia
No. 7 Loyola (Md.) (14-3) vs. North Carolina (10-6)
Time, TV: Noon ET, ESPN2
Coaches: Charley Toomey (11th season at Loyola), Joe Breschi (eighth season at North Carolina).
NCAA championships: Loyola one (2012), North Carolina four (last 1991).
Road to Philadelphia:Loyola — Beat Duke 16-11, Towson 10-8. North Carolina — Beat Marquette 10-9, Notre Dame 13-9.
Key players: Loyola — Pat Spencer, Fr. (36 G, 47 A); Zach Herreweyers, Sr. (36 G, 6 A); Graham Savio, Jr. (.529 FO%, 69 GB). North Carolina — Steve Pontrello, Sr. (45 G, 17 A); Luke Goldstock, Jr. (25 G, 21 A); Stephen Kelly, Jr. (.590 FO%, 113 GB).
Quick sticks: The third member of the Loyola attack unit, junior Zack Sirico, has been hot of late with five goals and two assists in the Greyhounds’ two tournament victories. ... The Tar Heels are 10-1 when scoring 10 goals or more and 0-5 when held to single digits. The Greyhounds surrender only 8.06 goals a game.
No. 1 Maryland (16-2) vs. No. 5 Brown (16-2)
Time, TV: 2:30 p.m. ET approx., ESPN2
Coaches: John Tillman (sixth season at Maryland), Lars Tiffany (10th season at Brown).
NCAA championships: Maryland two (last 1975), Brown none.
Road to Philadelphia: Maryland — Beat Quinnipiac 13-6, Syracuse 13-7. Brown — Beat Johns Hopkins 17-8, Navy 11-10.
Key players: Maryland — Matt Rambo, Jr. (39 G, 24 A); Tim Muller, Jr. (23 CT); Kyle Bernlohr, Sr. (.552 Sv%, 7.63 GAA). Brown — Kylor Bellistri, Sr. (62 G, 28 A); Will Gural, Sr. (.704 FO%, 129 GB, 10 G, 5 A); Jack Kelly, Sr. (.617 Sv%, 8.09 GAA).
Quick sticks: Brown’s ability to dictate its preferred pace starts at the face-off X. But the Terrapins have fared better there with freshman Austin Henningsen back at full strength since sitting out much of April. ... The Terrapins’ ball security should serve them well. They commit 10.83 turnovers per game, fourth fewest in the country and fewest among the semifinalists. But the Bears force their opponents into 8.72 turnovers a game.
Championship: Monday, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
Women’s Final Four: Friday in Chester, Pa.
No. 3 North Carolina (18-2) vs. Penn State (14-6), 5 p.m. ET
Coaches: Jenny Levy (21st season at North Carolina), Missy Doherty (sixth season at Penn State).
NCAA championships: North Carolina one (2013), Penn State two (last 1989).
Road to Chester: North Carolina — Beat Duke 15-10, Notre Dame 10-6. Penn State — Beat Winthrop 16-6, Florida 14-13 (OT), Penn 8-4.
Key players: North Carolina — Molly Hendrick, Jr. (55 G, 12 A); Aly Messinger, Sr. (31 G, 28 A); Sammy Jo Tracy, Sr. (37 G, 20 A, 100 DC). Penn State — Madison Cyr, Sr. (57 G, 23 A, 33 CT); Steph Lazo, Jr. (33 G, 37 A); Madison Carter, Fr. (47 G, 4 A).
Quick sticks: In addition to being the lone unseeded team in the semifinal round, the Nittany Lions also became the first squad to win three tournament games to reach the Final Four. ... PSU goalie Emi Smith has been hot in the postseason with 24 saves in those three contests. The Tar Heels’ goal-keeping duties are shared by senior Megan Ward and junior Caylee Waters.
No. 1 Maryland (21-0) vs. No. 4 Syracuse (19-5), 7:30 p.m. ET
Coaches: Cathy Reese (10th season at Maryland), Gary Gait (ninth season at Syracuse).
NCAA championships: Maryland 12 (last 2015), Syracuse none.
Road to Chester: Maryland — Beat Johns Hopkins 14-8, Massachusetts 18-3. Syracuse — Beat Stony Brook 7-6, Southern California 12-11 (OT).
Key players: Maryland — Taylor Cummings, Sr. (55 G, 19 A, 134 DC, 50 CT); Megan Whittle, So. (69 G, 4 A); Zoe Stukenberg, Jr. (45 G, 15 A). Syracuse — Kayla Treanor, Sr. (49 G, 40 A, 206 DC); Halle Majorana, Sr. (43 G, 33 A); Riley Donahue, So. (44 G, 21 A).
Quick sticks: This is the fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four for the Orange, but the Terrapins once again stand in the way. Maryland bounced Syracuse in the semifinal round a season ago and in the title game in 2014. ... Cummings is a finalist to pick up an unprecedented third Tewaaraton Award. Her teammate, defender Alice Mercer, is also a finalist, as is Syracuse’s Treanor.
Championship: Sunday, noon ET, ESPNU.
Follow Eddie Timanus on Twitter @EddieTimanus.
