Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 12/26/18
From Press Release
The University of Pennsylvania men’s lacrosse team is set to embark on a 2019 schedule littered with quality opponents as the Red and Blue look to return to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time.
“We’re looking forward to 2019 and the excitement of a new season,” said Head Coach Mike Murphy. “Our group is focused on making improvements each day as we gear up for what is expected to be a grueling schedule. And, that’s the way we want it. We embrace the opportunity to test ourselves and earn the right to compete for Ivy League and national championships.”
Notes To Know…
The Quakers will play five teams who participated in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, including defending national champion Yale.
Penn will play three of the four teams who reached Championship Weekend last May. In addition to the Bulldogs, the Red and Blue will play Maryland and Duke again in 2019.
Penn’s two other games against NCAA Tournament teams from last season are road games at Villanova and Cornell.
The Quakers, ranked No. 23 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top-25, will play eight games against teams ranked in the preseason poll: No. 1 Yale, No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Maryland, No. 5 Cornell, No. 10 Penn State, No. 14 Princeton, No. 22 Villanova, and No. 24 Vermont.
Penn’s game against Vermont in Wilton, Conn. On April 27 will be the first-ever meeting between the Quakers and Catamounts.
The Quakers will play Duke for the second season in a row, following 2018’s 10-9 win over the then-No. 1 Blue Devils at Franklin Field. Penn is 5-3 all-time against Duke, and Mike Murphy is 3-3 all-time in games against his alma mater.
2019 will mark the fifth time in 10 seasons under Mike Murphy that Penn will play the defending national champion. The Quakers are 1-3 in their four previous games against the defending champs under Murphy, including a win over Duke in 2011 – the only other time Penn has hosted the defending national champions under Murphy.
The 2019 Ivy League Men’s Lacrosse Tournament will be held at Columbia’s Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium for the second year in a row. Penn qualified for the 2018 ILT, its sixth appearance since the Ivy League Tournament began in 2010.
2019 Penn Men’s Lacrosse Schedule
Feb. 3 at Michigan (Scrimmage)
Feb. 9 at Drexel (Scrimmage)
Feb. 9 vs. Binghamton (Scrimmage at Drexel)
Feb. 16 MARYLAND 1 p.m.
Feb. 23 at Duke 3 p.m.
Mar. 2 at Penn State TBA
Mar. 8 at Villanova 7 p.m. (Philadelphia Lacrosse Challenge)
Mar. 10 vs. Saint Joseph’s (at Drexel) 2:30 p.m. (Philadelphia Lacrosse Challenge)
Mar. 16 PRINCETON* (Alumni Day) 3 p.m.
Mar. 23 at Cornell* 1 p.m.
Mar. 30 YALE* 1 p.m.
Apr. 6 at Brown* TBA
Apr. 13 at Harvard* TBA
Apr. 20 DARTMOUTH* 1 p.m.
Apr. 27 vs. Vermont (Wilton, Conn.)
May 3 Ivy League Tournament Semifinals (At Columbia)
May 5 Ivy League Tournament Championship (At Columbia)
May 11-12 NCAA Tournament First Round
May 18-19 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
May 25-27 NCAA Tournament Championship Weekend
* Ivy League Game
Home Games in CAPS and played at Franklin Field