Five games to follow: Girls Lacrosse

It may be just the first week of the spring season, but there are some big matchups on the schedule to start the season.

Here's a look at a few of the key girls lacrosse games this week.

• Bishop Guertin at Bow, 4:15 p.m. on Monday: Two teams that always seem to be in the mix in Division II will meet to open the season. For years, the Falcons were a thorn in the Cardinals' side, but lately, Bishop Guertin has had the advantage.
• Portsmouth at Merrimack, 4 p.m. on Monday: The defending Division II champion Clippers start their defense in Merrimack against a Tomahawks' team that should be better than the 2013 version.
• Manchester Memorial at Nashua South, 4 p.m. on Monday at Stellos Stadium: The Crusaders won just two games a year ago, and both came at the expense of the Panthers, who were winless. One of these teams will have a positive start to the season.
• Souhegan at Westford (Mass.) Academy, 4 p.m. on Tuesday: The co-favorites (with Pinkerton) in Division I will head south, part of a challenging opening week for the Sabers. Souhegan opens Monday at Hollis Brookline and will also host Windham on Thursday. The Ghosts are one of the top girls programs in Massachusetts.
• Winnacunnet at Windham, 4 p.m. on Wednesday: After winning the last two Division III titles, the Jaguars have made the jump to Division II and will take on the Warriors in their first division game.