Tailgates.

That’s what Laura Glassanos is looking forward to this weekend when the lacrosse team travels to meet unranked Connecticut.

“We have insane tailgates when we go to the East Coast because there’s so many parents,” the sophomore said.

Almost a third of the team’s roster this season is from the Boston area — only an hour and a half away from Storrs, Conn., where the two teams will face off Sunday.

Many players are looking forward to seeing family and friends from home.

“It’ll be good to see them,” Kaitie Lenahan said. “My family can’t really come to the games out here with work and everything.”

Glassanos, Lenahan and Courtney Flynn said their parents make it to lots of their games, but heading to New England means their personal cheering sections will be a little bit larger.

Glassanos’ father, Phil, said he and his wife Marianne will “absolutely be at the game.”

“This is an easy one for us,” he said.

The team’s parents stay in touch via e-mail to plan post-game tailgates that include salads, sandwiches, fruit and desserts.

“We are setting the standards for spirit,” Phil Glassanos said. “No other team has as much spirit as us — not even the football team.”

Glassanos said he expects about 50 fans in Connecticut. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends from local schools will be among the supporters.

“The closer we are to home, the more people there are,” Flynn said.

Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller also grew up in the Boston area, and she said she looks forward to seeing her sister and parents in the stands.

“It makes it that much more special when your family is there to support you,” she said.

The girls say lacrosse “is huge” on the East Coast, including the Boston area. The NCAA Division I women’s champion has come from the East Coast in all but three years since 1982.

Amonte Hiller called lacrosse a mainstay on the East Coast. The sport is “really booming” in Massachusetts in particular, she said, and it’s an area NU targets for recruiting.

The local girls and the rest of their team should put on a good show Sunday. The No. 15 Wildcats are 6-1, and are unbeaten in their last five. Freshman Kristen Kjellman was named conference Player of the Week after she scored a combined eight goals last week in games against Delaware and Virginia Tech.

Connecticut (3-5) has yet to beat a winning team this season. Northwestern has won as many games as all the teams the Huskies have beaten combined.

NU beat Connecticut 8-6 last year, the only time the teams have ever met. But the Cats aren’t quick to discount the Huskies’ threat.

“They’re always good competition,” Lenahan said. “They’re feisty.”

Lenahan’s team should be equally feisty, hungry for another win — and, of course, some good tailgating.