Some D1 girls lacrosse games to keep an eye on in 2024

The spring sports preseason started on Monday, but the games won’t start for real for a few more weeks, so it’s the perfect time to start circling some dates on the calendar.

Here are some of the top games to look out for in 2024 in Division I girls lacrosse, in chronological order. Schedules are subject to change, so check with your respective teams to make sure a date or time hasn’t changed.

April 8: Portsmouth at Pinkerton

• The regular season starts with a bang, as the Clippers travel to Derry to face the Astros to open the season. Even before Portsmouth moved up to D1 last year, these teams had been playing every season since 2017. Pinkerton had won every one of those meetings, until last season.

April 11: Bishop Guertin at Portsmouth

• Its another tough start to the season for the Clippers, as they open with the two programs that have won eight D1 titles in the last 10 seasons. Portsmouth got two wins over Bishop Guertin a year ago, including ending the Cardinals' championship run at four by beating them in the semifinals.

April 17: Nashua South at Souhegan

• After losing to the Sabers in four of the last five postseasons, the Panthers finally got a win against Souhegan last year. This year, the teams will play twice, with the second meeting taking place in Nashua on May 6.

April 26: Nashua South at Pinkerton

• Before last season, the Panthers hadn't beaten the Astros since the semifinals in 2007. In 2023, South beat Pinkerton twice, including a 9-8 win in the quarterfinals, keeping the Astros out of the final four for the first time since 2012.

May 1: Bedford at Portsmouth

• A rematch of last year's championship game, which was the second of two wins for the Bulldogs over the Clippers. In fact, Bedford has won seven in a row against Portsmouth, dating back to 2013, when the two teams were in Division II.

May 8: Bishop Guertin at Bedford

• Last season was the first time since 2017 that these two teams didn't meet in the postseason; in the previous four seasons, the Cardinals had ended the Bulldogs year in the playoffs. Bedford has won five of the last eight regular-season meetings between the two.

May 13: Bishop Guertin at Dover

• The Green Wave turned in the program's best season a year ago, winning 13 games and getting the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. But the Cardinals ended the year for Dover with a win in the quarterfinals. Bishop Guertin goes back to Dover for this year's regular-season meeting.

May 16: Pinkerton at Bishop Guertin

• The Cardinals have won eight in a row against the Astros, dating back to April of 2018, and that streak includes two playoff wins. Last year was just the second time since 2012 that neither team played in the D1 final; the other time was in 2017.

May 22: Merrimack at Exeter

• A rematch of last year's D1 first-round game, which the Tomahawks won in overtime. Both teams again should be battling for a playoff spot, and this game just before the end of the regular season could go a long way to determining seeding for both teams.