Dukes Set for First-Round Matchup with Irish

Friday, May 8

Evanston, Ill.

4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT)

James Madison University

Notre Dame

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5/7/2026 11:33:00 AM | Lacrosse

NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship First Round
Matchup: #22 James Madison (13-6) vs. #16 Notre Dame (12-5)
Date: Friday, March 5, 2026
First Draw: 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT)
Location: Evanston, Ill.
Stadium: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin's Stadium
Watch: ESPN+

Dukes Battle Fighting Irish in NCAA First Round

In its 11th straight NCAA Championship appearance and 22nd overall, JMU will meet Notre Dame in the first round on the campus of top-seeded Northwestern.
This will be the seventh all-time meeting between the teams, with the Irish leading 4-2. It's also the first time the teams have met since the 2009 season.
This is the first time the Dukes and Irish have met in the NCAA Championship.
JMU last won over Notre Dame in 2005.
JMU sits 15th in the NCAA Division I RPI following its American Women's Lacrosse Championship title win - tied for its highest position of the season - while UND is 30th after finishing tied for fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.

What's At Stake

The winner of Friday's opening round advances to the second round of the NCAA Championships, where it will meet No. 1 seed Northwestern on Sunday, May 10.
A win for the Dukes would also mark four first-round wins over the past five appearances.

Matchup Notes

JMU enters the NCAA Championship riding a seven-game win streak, which includes a 17-7 triumph over South Florida to repeat as American tournament champions.
Notre Dame received an at-large bid after falling in the ACC quarterfinals, marking the 18th time it has qualified for the NCAA Championship.

Jordan Peterson and Payton Root lead the JMU offense, as Peterson paces the team in goals (43) and shots on goal (62) while Roots is JMU's leading assister (54) and point getter (83).
In the circle, Harlowe Healey commands the draw for the Dukes (148), tallying 10 or more in six games. Defensively, Olivia Rongo leads the backline with a JMU single-season record in caused turnovers (56) while also pacing the Dukes in ground balls (52).
For Notre Dame, Madison Rassas leads the way in goals (51) and points (62), while Grace Maroney is second in both goals (31) and points (45). The Irish have three players with 19 assists, while Uma Kowalski has been a force in the draw circle (138).
Defensively, UND is balanced with five players recording 20+ caused turnovers. In cage, Ceci Patterson has made 87 saves with a 7.75 goals against average and a .426 save percentage.