With five NCAA championships in the last five years, May has become the most exciting time of the year for the Wildcats. This year is no different. After a 17-1 season and a sixth consecutive ALC Championship, Northwestern starts its quest for a sixth straight NCAA Championship on Saturday against No. 12 Notre Dame. This is the second time the two teams have squared off this year, as NU coming away with a 15-5 win on March 30 at Lakeside Field.

NU and Notre Dame have twice squared off in the first round of the NCAA tournament. In 2004 the Cats topped the Irish 10-8, while NU overwhelmed Notre Dame, 15-7, in 2008.No. 2 NU would not normally play a team as highly ranked as Notre Dame, but according to “Lacrosse Magazine,” the two teams are squaring off because of their geographic proximity. Meanwhile, No. 8 Pennsylvania is playing unranked Boston College and No. 4 Georgetown will face Syracuse.

Should NU advance to the quarterfinals, it would face either No. 7 Duke or No. 10 Vanderbilt. The Cats clobbered the Commodores twice this year, winning the two games by a combined score of 50-23. NU also bested Duke in Durham, N.C., 19-14.

After that, NU would most likely go up against No. 3 North Carolina. The Tar Heels were the only team to knock of the Cats this year, downing NU 18-16 on April 18. If the two were to face off in the semi-finals, it would be a rematch of the 2009 National Championship game, when the Cats defeated the Tar Heels, 21-7.

– Robbie Levin