2025 College Qualifier Previews: Howard County

Author: Jack Levy

PC: Kielan Donahue Photography

Introduction

We are officially halfway through the qualifiers and the largest qualifier kicks off this weekend. With four D1 and D2 tickets claimed, another six D1 bids and six D2 bids will be taken in Howard County on Sunday. With 14 college teams playing at Mid-Atlantic Qualifier, the next two days should be filled with exciting games and national championship threats. This was by far the hardest qualifier to predict when it came to picking a champion. As it stands, Maryland will host the largest number of college games in one tournament this season, with the exception of nationals. With previous qualifier finishes coming down to the wire, this weekend should prove no different. 

Brandeis University

Brandeis University enters the weekend as one of the favorites to leave Maryland undefeated. Over the past few years, Brandeis has always been able to walk away with a D1 bid, and this year looks to be no different. However, this season, the group is looking to claim its first qualifier title. While Brandeis took some early season losses in a couple Massachusetts Quadball Conference (MQC) games, the team now leads the league and is the favorite to win the MQC D1 title. They also traveled down to New Jersey during the Fall to test themselves against Rutgers and Virginia. The team was able to beat Rutgers and while they fell to Virginia, their second game against them was a nail-biter. In Howard County, Brandeis is looking to not only take home their first regional-title, but they are looking to prove themselves as a national-title contender.

This team enters the weekend as one of only two teams with a full 21-person roster - a major advantage considering other favorites won’t have as much depth to rely on. In addition, Brandeis only has to play three games on day one as opposed to four. Immediate roster standouts include Eli Fighter and USNTDA-player Shakthi Kodeswaran. Fighter and Kodeswaran have been playing together for years and it shows in their chemistry when they get out in transition situations. Also, look for Caitlyn Pennie and Andres Zalowitz to see a lot of minutes in the chasing game. At beater, the team likes to run Ryan Callaghan and Ethan Dayan to start and often get through their full rotation. Brandeis also has made some clutch catches after 20 minutes. They usually start Fighter in the yellow, and then move to Rowan Scasselleti. This talented 21-person roster has the capability to leave with their first regional title this weekend if the dice roll their way.

Boston University

Boston University has come up short of a D1 bid for the past couple qualifiers, but this weekend it looks like that will change. The Terriers are not only in prime position to walk away as part of the D1 nationals field, but they might even find themselves walking out of Howard County with a regional title. While Boston University hasn’t played many games outside of the Northeast area, they have looked the part of a competitive D1 team all season long. The only team they’ve played and failed to beat this year was Brandeis, where they lost by only 45 points to the MQC favorites. The Terriers have also had three competitive showdowns with RPI. In two of them, they’ve lost by 15 points and 10 points, and in one of them, they’ve won by 45 points. They’ve also beaten Brown and Emerson twice this season, which is critical considering both teams are in their pool on day one. While Boston University isn’t one of the heavy favorites to win the qualifier, they have proven they have all the pieces they need to do so.

One aspect working in their favor is that they are one of two teams to have a full 21-person roster. Leading the Terriers is beater Cleo Brooks. The starting beater has been playing for four seasons and has experience playing on the Los Angeles Aftershock over the summer. When Boston University has control, Brooks likes challenging opposing beaters to duels just after they cross the midfield line, often winning trades at a high rate. Brooks' pressure allows her partner, usually William White, to get a stop if an opposing team rushes a pass or a shot off the pressure. On offense, the Terrier beaters like to play close together on the same side of the field to try and lure opposing beaters to one side to give their chasers scoring opportunities. Boston University chasers love to share the ball and pass around until they can drive in and score. Expect HB Bielawa, Zachary Donofrio, and Evan Sciarabba to put up many goals throughout the weekend. The Terriers’s strong roster should walk away this weekend with a long-awaited D1 bid and with a chance to play for a title on Sunday.

Brown University

Brown University enters Howard County looking to enter the D1 field for the first time since 2022. The Bears have spent the first half of the season staying local and primarily playing Massachusetts Quadball Conference teams. At the midway point of the year, they lead the D2 standings in the MQC, where they were able to get wins over Vermont and Middlebury throughout the season. While Brown hasn’t been able to grab a win off this year's Northeast heavyweights, like Brandeis and BU, they played a close game against Emerson where they only lost by 25 points. While the Bears might not be able to leave Howard County with a qualifier title, the in-range game against Emerson suggests that they can grab a D1 bid for nationals. 

Leading the team is veteran chaser and seeker Will Richardson. Richardson has been dominant in the MQC and can put up goals for the Bears even against some of the toughest defenses in quadball. Richardson also has years of MLQ experience under his belt. Last season he was a top-eight goal scorer for Boston Forge and finished the regular season with two flag catches. Frequently joining him in the chasing game are Tommy Flathers and Yifan Guo. Brown likes to set up in a box in the halfcourt when the chasers aren’t pushing the pace for transition goals. In the beating game, expect Anna Di Fabio to start and lead the team. The group likes to run through their full rotation of beater depth and look to generate turnovers out of a 2-2 zone. While Brown might not be favored to win a championship this weekend, expect them to be a formidable bracket matchup on Sunday, with a chance to punch a D1 ticket to Richmond.

Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is looking to make a splash at Howard County in their opening qualifier appearance. In their first season as an official team, the Spartans have taken on a handful of local midwest teams at Rust Belt Invitationals. While they’ve fallen to some of the traditional powerhouses in the region, like Michigan State, Case Western has been able to grab wins over Bowling Green, Pittsburgh, and Purdue. Given it’s the team’s first official season and they’ve only played one team attending the Maryland qualifier, it's a mystery where the Spartans will finish. It’s unlikely the team can win the tournament outright, but Case Western can leave with either a D1 or D2 bid. Either way, the Spartans will leave with crucial experience before nationals.

The team’s star is Adam Thompson. Thompson played for the Cleveland Riff over the summer and is bringing their experience into Case Western’s young team. They also finished as sixth among chasers in stops during the 2024 MLQ season. For the college season, Thompson has swapped to beater, racking up stops with dodgeballs as opposed to tackles. The Spartans often run a mark defense, where they like to have their chasers guard opponents as soon as they cross the midfield line. The Case Western beaters look to generate a turnover, and with the opponents marked, the chasers grab the quadball and score on a fast break. Look for Titus Chan to be a tough matchup for any team to stop if he gets into transition. This weekend will be a great chance for Case Western to prove themselves as a talented young team and play some new opponents for the first time. 

Emerson College

Emerson has been on the verge of breaking into the D1 field for the past couple seasons, and they are hoping to do so this weekend. So far this year, Emerson has had a variety of mixed results. They look like a team that can leave Howard County with a D1 bid and upset a team hoping to punch their ticket to Richmond. While the Lions have failed to take down Brandeis and Boston University this season, they were able to take a game from Harvard in the MQC opener and beat RPI and Brown, with both wins being out of range. They’ve also lost to Harvard twice, once by 25 points and once by 10 points, and dropped a game to Middlebury. With impressive wins and nail-biting losses, Emerson is in a position to stun some favorites and play in some close games throughout the weekend.

While the Lion’s roster is only made up of ten players, they boast a lot of talent. In the chasing game, Ryan Leary leads the team. After a breakout summer on the New York Titans, where she was the team’s fifth leading scorer, Leary is looking to carry that experience over for a big performance in Maryland. Leary can do a lot of damage against opposing defenses as she looks for open shot opportunities. Another one of Emerson’s leading scorers is Daniel Baradat, who looks to drive and dunk on opposing defenses. In the beating game, look for Megan Brown, Janie Hillman, Mathilde Kaldi, Adrian Manansala, and Peyton Schwiebert. The Lions beaters often know the right times to apply pressure, and even unarmed, they will do a good job preventing opposing beaters from getting too comfortable on offense. After 20 minutes, Emerson knows how to give their seekers time with the runner, as the Lions caught the flag four times in the past six games. The flag pulls could be the difference maker for the Lions in tight games. While it certainly will be difficult for Emerson to take home the qualifier crown, they are the perfect team to play spoiler and steal a D1 bid from a team that is hoping to leave Howard County with one. 

Harvard University

With back-to-back finals appearances and a 2024 National Championship, the Harvard Horntails have been at the forefront of quadball for the past couple years. However, this year the team is no longer at the top of the college game. Harvard has been all over the map in their games so far this season. They have two wins and one loss against Emerson, they’ve been the only team in the MQC to beat Brandeis, and have dropped games against Boston University, Middlebury, and RPI. Harvard’s history and ability to hang with good teams this year makes them a dangerous team to match up against, but they’ve also shown that they are not the powerhouse they were for the previous couple seasons. The team is not a favorite to win the qualifier, but they are still a strong team and are looking to leave Maryland with a D1 bid. They also have the potential to spoil some of the favorites’ hopes at winning the qualifier in pool-play on Saturday.

The name that pops off the roster for Harvard is Jess Lee, the USNTDA beater who every player in the country looks to avoid in matchups. Lee looks to make contact early and often, putting opposing beaters in uncomfortable positions. Also look for Max Semegren to start and play major minutes. He has shown he’s not afraid to run for an opposing team’s dodgeball on brooms up. The Horntails also have some of the best ball movement among their chasers. Throughout the early part of the season, the Harvard chasers have done an incredible job moving the ball around the hoops and opposing defenses when they set up in a halfcourt offense. Look for Lance Bae, Mac Mertens, and Elisa See, just to name a few, to fluidly pass the ball around and take any space a defense gives them. If Harvard can find their groove in a halfcourt setting, they are more than capable of beating any team they face. While this certainly isn’t the same Harvard team as last season, don’t sleep on the Horntails’ ability in Howard County.

Middlebury College

The historic and quadball-famous Middlebury College is heading down to Maryland to punch their ticket to Richmond. At last year’s qualifier, Middlebury was playing one of the last games of the day to take the last available D2 bid in Boston. In a close final game, they were able to prevail over Baylor to make nationals. This year, Middlebury is looking to steal a D1 bid as they have proven they can hang with some of the top teams. They’ve been able to get wins over Harvard, Emerson, Rutgers, and Vermont so far this season. They’ve also fallen to RPI in a golden-goal scenario and most recently to Brown by 85. Middlebury’s early season games suggest they have what it takes to hang with D1 teams, but also show that they are vulnerable to D2 teams as well. The Panthers will have to prove this weekend that they are a D1 program and deserve to take one of the six automatic bids in Howard County.

While the team is only bringing 11 players to the qualifier, they drew the pool that only requires them to play three games on Saturday as opposed to four, which is a major plus for a short-rostered team. Middlebury’s leading goal scorer is Jason Wu, the recently-added USNTDA chaser who likes to push the pace of play and will always drive or shoot on an open hoop. Also look for chaser Katelyn Petty, who leads the offense during halfcourt possession. Petty is always willing to drive in and can tear defenses apart. In the beating game, Middlebury looks to take as many exchanges as possible. Expect the beaters to generate a turnover on defense and get their chasers transition goals. Look for Katheryn Barbera, Gregory Fahrner, Graydon Hanson, Joshua Harkins, and Owen McCarthy to keep dodgeballs flying throughout the game, not afraid to take beats from anywhere on the field. This often leads to high-scoring affairs for Middlebury. It’s no surprise that the Panthers have only played three games this year where the set score was lower than 140 points, because the beaters create a high-speed of play. Middlebury will look to grab a D1 bid by establishing this fast pace where they are most comfortable. 

Pennsylvania State University 

Penn State enters this weekend having played fewer games than any other team, with the exception of Triangle United. However, the Nittany Lions are a force to be reckoned with. In the Appalachian-5 Conference games, they split games with James Madison and lost to Virginia by 50 points. While that’s only a few data points to go off of, Penn State’s close game against the Cavaliers is telling. This means the team can really fall anywhere from taking a D1 bid to playing for one of the last D2 bids on Sunday. The Nittany Lions are not afraid to attempt long passes and rip shots on open hoops from distance. If the group can play Virginia in a close game, they might be able to catch some of the Boston-area teams off guard.

The top scorers for Penn State are usually Conner Morrow and Kenneth Peterson. In the halfcourt, the Nittany Lions don’t mind throwing a pass over the hoops to try and get the defense moving. The chasers then look to capitalize by scoring after the first pass. On defense, the team likes to run a 2-2, regardless of whether they have control. They do mix up where and when the beaters will take exchanges on defenses. Look for Luci Jensen to generate stops and lead the offense in the beating game. If the defense can generate a transition goal situation, the Nittany Lions will almost always take it. Expect the chasers to push the pace if the beaters can manage to get an early stop. This weekend will be an eye-opener for the quadball world on where Penn State falls among other college teams. The Nittany Lions are hoping to use their games in Maryland as a chance to put them on the map before nationals in April. 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been a force to be reckoned with this season. The cornerstone Quadball program has looked the part of a solid D1 team throughout the whole year. The Engineers (yes, that’s their school’s mascot) secured wins over Harvard, Middlebury, and Vermont throughout the Fall. However, they fell to Rutgers at their home tournament and to Emerson during MQC play. Despite the losses, they’ve also proven themselves against some of the other favorites. RPI went 2-1 against Boston University and 1-2 against Brandeis on the season. Out of those six games, four of them have been in-range. The results prove that RPI can hang with the dominant teams in the college game, and the close finishes demonstrate the parity on the weekend. RPI is looking for more than just an automatic D1 bid, but a qualifier title. If their performance in the Fall is anything to go off of, they can leave Maryland claiming to be the strongest team in the region.

RPI has a roster that has been building up to their success this season. There is a reason why the Engineers can boast three MQC round-robin MVPs, while the most any other team can claim is one. In the chasing game, Viviana Estrada has led the offense. Estrada facilitates the RPI offense as both a scorer and a distributor, often finding herself at the top of the stat-sheets in goals and assists. Also bringing in years of experience from the college game and MLQ is Ad Ojo, a top scorer who gives RPI major advantages in both the chasing and seeking games. Ojo is proving to be one of the top scoring chasers in the MQC this season and as a seeker, has caught seven flags in the Fall alone. That’s 245 points just on catches. Expect Ojo to put up major numbers for RPI, wearing both a white and yellow headband. The Engineers also got a major addition in the beating game this season in Colin Gaines. Gaines, the recent transfer from Columbia College, has been exuding dominance in the MQC this season. When the team has control on defense, Gaines is not afraid to extend out to the keeper zone line, and apply pressure on any beater that tries to get involved in the offense. If Gaines is comfortable at the start of the possession, and gets to the keeper zone, RPI is going to generate a turnover. Also, look for experienced beater Meena Mall to make hard hits. If Mall is unarmed, she will pressure opposing beaters and look for a wrap. Overall, RPI has proven themselves to be a major threat in college quadball this season and this weekend gives them the chance to emerge not only as qualifier champions but as national title contenders.

Rutgers University

After winning the 2023 Northeast Regional Championship and making last year’s qualifier final, Rutgers is back to challenging many of their familiar Northeast opponents this weekend. While the Scarlet Knights have always been a threat in the region to take home the crown, this year feels different. After having some incredible seasons, Rutgers is entering Maryland hoping to walk out with a D1 bid. If they can win their pool, they will find themselves playing for the qualifier title on Sunday, but if they get anything short of first, they will have a daunting bracket run on day two. This year, they opened the season at RPI’s home tournament, where they got wins over the two powerhouses, RPI and Brandeis, but fell to Middlebury. They faced Brandeis and Virginia during Oktoberfest, where they lost to both teams twice, although their first game against Brandeis came down to the wire. It’s been months since Rutgers’ opening season games, and this weekend gives them a chance to prove how far they’ve come and the opportunity to punch their ticket to Richmond.

While many names on the Rutgers rosters are new, one that has been a staple for the past three seasons and this year is Byron Ng. The USNTDA chaser is an excellent scorer and defender and has years of MLQ experience both on the New York Titans and Chicago Prowl. Seeing increased roles in the chaser game are Jalen Brooks, Manvita Kona, Paige Kowalski, Luis Mendoza, and Beth Zito. Rutgers has always been a pass-first team, and you can always expect crisp ball movement from the Rutgers chasers. In the beating game, Joe Colantuono will see big minutes. The Scarlet Knights chasers tend to alternate between a 2-2 and a trees defense, but you can often count on Colantuono setting up close to the center of the zone making long range beats to get stops. While Colantuono plays close to hoops, Justin Mok will be seen stretching out and making beats from everywhere on the field. Rutgers’ close games at Oktoberfest demonstrate that the team can hang with heavy favorites like Brandeis, putting them in a position to punch their ticket to nationals this weekend. Look for the Scarlet Knights to be in close games on Sunday that determine whether they will be getting a D1 or D2 bid. 

Triangle United

If you haven’t heard of Triangle United, that’s because this is their first time competing in a qualifier under the name Triangle United. However, the new name shouldn’t fool you into thinking this is a new team. Triangle United is a college-merger team between North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina. The two schools have a lot of experience playing in a handful of tournaments over the years, including a couple of Appalachian-5 tournaments. The two schools also boast a handful of MLQ-experienced veterans, as both college teams that make up Triangle United have players that have been on the Charlotte Aviators. While Triangle United certainly isn’t one of the favorites at the qualifier, the team has the capability to shock some opponents this weekend. Don’t be surprised if Triangle United gets wins over teams they have never played, and leaves Maryland with a D1 bid. 

Leading Triangle United are Lauren Hirsch and Carynne White, the two captains from NC State, and Bonnie Hernandez, UNC’s captain. The three of them, along with two other rostered players, all played together on the Charlotte Aviators this past summer and are looking to bring their experience on the same team to the USQ season. Expect Hirsch to lead the team in the beating game, as she was tied for third on the Aviators for stops this summer. Hirsch will be one of the most veteran beaters on the field this weekend, as she has shown through a handful of Appalachian-5 tournaments in the Fall. In the chasing game, defenses will need to key in on Hernandez, who finished with 60 points over the summer. White, who finished the season with 50 points over, also finished as tied for sixth in assists for the Aviators, so look for White to be dishing out passes over the weekend. Also rostered on the weekend is Mohamed-Yahia, “MY,” Monawar. While Monawar didn’t play last summer for the Aviators, he also brings years of experience and will likely be one of the top-scorers for Triangle United this weekend. While most people tend to sleep on combined-college teams, Triangle United has the experience and history of playing together that other teams don’t. They might be the team that ends a favorite’s chance at the qualifier title or takes one of the last D1 bids at Howard County.

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh has always been a staple in the Appalachian-5 Quadball scene and they are looking to challenge some of the more known college teams of the Northeast. So far this season, Pittsburgh has challenged some of Appalachian-5 teams and has traveled to play in the final Rust Belt tournament. While they have fallen to Case Western and Virginia so far this year, they’ve been able to grab wins off Bowling Green and UNCSU, which included many Triangle United members. While the Panthers have only played a few of the teams coming to Howard County, they are looking to use this weekend to prove they can win games against some of the Northeast favorites.

Pittsburgh is a team that looks to score in any way possible, even when they’re opponents least expect it. That means the Panthers look to score after a shot attempt or will even score off a beat when opposing chasers think the play is over. One of Pittsburgh’s leading scorers this season is Varun Krishna, the chaser who never gives up on a play. Look for Krishna to score on any open hoops throughout the weekend. Also rostered for the Panthers is Connor Scott, who will bring his experience over the summer on the Cleveland Riff to Maryland. In the beating game, look for Loghan Hawkes and Emma Meo to lead their chasers into scoring positions on offense. The Panthers often like to start their halfcourt offenses with their beaters carving a path for the chasers to drive. Pittsburgh is looking to gain critical experience this weekend, by playing teams they largely haven’t seen so far this weekend. While a D1 bid might be difficult for them to take, they have the opportunity to walk away with a D2 bid and punch their ticket to nationals.

University of Vermont

The University of Vermont entered this season after a D2 bracket exit at last year's nationals. After having only played other MQC teams in the Fall, the team is ready to take on new opponents this weekend in Howard County. While the Catamounts are the only team entering Howard County without a win over any of their opponents, they should not be slept on as a team. At the start of the season, they lost by a flag catch to Middlebury and played tight games against Brown and RPI. If they can replicate those close games in Maryland, there’s no telling what Vermont can do. 

Look for the offense to set up in a diamond on offense and patiently pass the ball around for scoring opportunities. The team is most comfortable when they facilitate the ball at the top of the offense and score off the side hoops. One of Vermont’s sharpest scorers is Ryan Kohler. Kohler likes playing on the side of diamond offense and she can finish plays around the hoops by dunking on defenders. The Catamounts like to put Jack Fortin at the center of the offense, and if he can draw the defense out to one side, the chasers know how to execute. The Vermont beaters, regardless of whether they have control, look to go into opponents’ keeper zones on offense to open up even more opportunities for their chasers. Look for beaters Morgue Boyce, Cassie Lopes, Shawn Price, Abby Rainey, and Max Remes. While a D1 bid would be a bit of a longshot for Vermont, their experience in MQC and close games against solid opponents, makes them the perfect sleeper team to take out a D1-hopeful. Expect the Catamounts to play some close games on Sunday, with D2 bids on the line.

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia has always been a powerhouse in the college game. During their nationals run in 2023, they made the elite eight. The following year in Round Rock, they made the final four. If they remain on the steady track of improvement, the Cavaliers are slated for a championship game this year. In fact, Virginia has been a favorite since the start of the season to go the distance in Richmond. Through January they remained undefeated, picking up wins against Brandeis, Rutgers, Penn State, and James Madison. However, in February the team took its first losses of the year traveling to Omaha, and falling to Creighton and Blue Jay. In the process, the team was able to pick up a pair of wins against Mizzou, avenging their pool-play loss from last nationals. Despite the tough losses a couple weekends ago, Virginia is still the favorite to take the qualifier crown. They have yet to lose to an east coast opponent, and they are still a national title threat. 

Fortunately for Virginia, the talent level is undeniable. It’s hard not to start with Emma Rollins and Zan Siddiqui, the two chasers who were added to the USNTDA in early 2023 and have led the team for the past couple years. Yet the chaser depth extends far beyond Rollins and Siddiqui. Whether it’s Joey Beh, Nathan Jun, or Chantal Siodlarz, all the Cavalier chasers can score with ease. On defense Virginia loves to apply high levels of pressure in a 1-2-1 press, often leaving one or two chasers ready to meet an opponent as soon as they step out of the keeper zone. Couple the high pressure with beater Rhett Krovitz armed with a dodgeball, and the Cavaliers can find their groove generating turnovers on opposing teams. Krovitz is not afraid to take a duel or throw at a chaser to give Virginia quick goals. If teams aren’t prepared for the pressure, the Cavalier’s dominance will prevail. It is without question that no team has more eyes on them this weekend than Virginia, who are looking to bounce back in a statement qualifier after their trip to Nebraska. Undoubtedly, they have every ability to put themselves on the right track to the national championship in April, but it all starts tomorrow.

Must See Matchups

Howard County will be full of thrilling college games, but the matchup I’ve circled since the pools dropped is Virginia vs RPI. The MQC games have shown us that there are three Northeast favorites playing around the same level; Brandeis, Boston University, and RPI. If the three teams were in different pools, one of them was going to have to face the heavyweight UVA on day one. At 6:00pm on the livestream, RPI will be the one to take them on. Expect the stream to be teeming with viewers, because the two teams have everything to play for in the prime-time slot. The winner will likely clinch a D1 bid, only have two games on Sunday, and will be playing for the qualifier title. The loser will need to battle their way through a bracket just to get a D1 bid. Virginia has been the longtime favorite to win at Howard County, but their games in Omaha last month highlighted that the Cavaliers are not perfect. However, it would be foolish to write off UVA. They are title-contenders for a reason. In addition, they are the only team to run a 1-2-1, and if these Northeast teams haven’t prepared for the pressure they can be caught off guard. That being said, out of all the teams in Maryland this weekend, RPI is best suited for Virginia’s pressure. The talented chasers from both teams (Estrada, Ojo, Rollins, Siddiqui, etc.) should be exciting to watch, but expect to see the Krovitz-Gaines matchup have a major impact on the outcome of this game. As he’s demonstrated all year, if Krovitz is comfortable applying pressure at midfield the UVA chasers should be able to generate transition goals with ease. Gaines, while playing for Columbia College in 2023, had success handling Virginia’s 1-2-1 zone. While the Cavaliers were able to pull out the win two years ago, the game between the one-seeded UVA and five-seeded Columbia ended 150-135. Notably, Krovitz was not on the team at the time. Now we get to see if Gaines can replicate the results with Krovitz applying the pressure. Having a beater with proven success against 1-2-1 is a game changer when playing Virginia and is what makes RPI more prepared for UVA than the other MQC-favorites. Both of these teams have proven themselves as D1 powerhouses this season and the game should be one for the ages.

Another Saturday game everyone should be tuning in for is when Boston University takes on Triangle United. Similar to UVA vs RPI, the 6:00pm game might have everything on the line. If both Boston University and Triangle United win their first three games, the winner of the matchup will get a D1 bid and a chance to win the qualifier, while the loser will need to face a gauntlet in on Sunday to punch their ticket to Richmond. At first glance, the Terriers might seem like the heavy favorite. They have proven results against talented Boston-area teams, while Triangle United hasn’t played the same number or level of teams. However, the matchup between the two teams has the potential to create a nail-biter. Brooks and White will still generate the stops for Boston University and find a ton of success on the defensive end. Expect Brooks to continue to win duels at the start of plays and force turnovers. However, if those stops don’t turn into transition goals, look for Hirsch to produce stops for Triangle United. The way the Terrier chasers set up their offense, or passing the ball around until a drive opens up, will be extremely difficult to do against Hirsch. If either offense sets up in a halfcourt set, the opposing teams' starting beaters are going to be in a position to thrive. Hence, the team that creates more transition goals in this game is going to find more success.

Predictions

Champion: Brandeis

D1 Bids: Brandeis, Boston University, Harvard, RPI, Rutgers, Virginia

D2 Bids: Brown, Case Western, Emerson, Middlebury, Triangle United, Vermont