This week defines Northwestern women's lacrosse — either concluding the season with tears of regret or a national title celebrated in glory.

After escaping No. 10 Colorado in a thrilling 13-12 overtime victory in the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Wildcats earned home advantage for the Final Four, facing No. 4 Johns Hopkins at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT.

This will give coach Kelly Amonte Hiller another chance to chase her ninth national championship for Northwestern since last year's title-game defeat. Before the battle kicks off, here's a preview of the semifinal showdown.

Earlier in March, the 'Cats met the Blue Jays at Ryan Fieldhouse and delivered the first punch in a 16-12 victory. Despite a neck-and-neck first half, the 'Cats controlled the pace in the second half and extended their advantage beyond two goals. Senior attacker Madison Taylor led the way with six goals, while Maddie Epke followed with five goals and six draw controls.

Similar to Northwestern, Johns Hopkins endured a rough midseason stretch but still entered the NCAA Tournament with a 17-4 record. Through the first two rounds, the Blue Jays thrashed UAlbany 21-7 and No. 14 Army 21-13. The quarterfinal looked eerily similar to Northwestern's nail-biter. Trailing for the majority of regulation, JHU mounted a thrilling comeback and escaped with a 13-12 win against No. 8 Stony Brook to punch its ticket to Evanston.

Johns Hopkins features a plethora of offensive talents coming into the Final Four. Senior attacker Ava Angelo leads with a team-high 78 goals (fourth nationally) and 28 assists. She pairs with junior midfielder Lacey Downey, who has contributed 57 goals and 46 assists this season.

One player the 'Cats must watch closely is Taylor Hoss. The attacker has been an absolute force for the Blue Jays with 102 points (45 goals, 57 assists), and her performance in the Stony Brook quarterfinal was the stuff of tournament legend. Hoss logged a game-high eight points on three goals and five assists, acting as the quarterback of the offense. Crucially, it was her goal with one second remaining that sent the Blue Jays to the Final Four.

Though Northwestern boasts a lucrative offense, the 'Cats can't solely rely on Jennika Cuocco to lock things up. Northwestern ranks 22nd nationally in scoring defense, allowing 8.85 goals per game, and sits 11th in offense-defense margin (5.90) — indicating the 'Cats are far from perfect on the defensive end. Limiting second-chance opportunities and forcing turnovers will be critical.

The 'Cats will also need to make sure others step up to support Taylor, who will inevitably face tailored defensive pressure. Fortunately, Aditi Foster and Maddie Epke provide legitimate secondary threats, while Noel Cumberland has emerged as a clutch performer who delivered the game-winner last week against Colorado.

Though Northwestern is deep in the postseason, the 'Cats must mitigate the inconsistency that has plagued them at times. Finding themselves in multiple clutch-time scenarios isn't sustainable. Though Northwestern has had the last laugh in most tight games this season, the team can't lean on that momentum alone.

These two programs know each other intimately. Blue Jays coach Tim McCormack served as a Northwestern assistant under Amonte Hiller from 2014 to 2019. The 'Cats defeated Johns Hopkins twice last season and dominate the all-time head-to-head record 20-3 (9-1 at home).

What Northwestern must do is play its identity and avoid being spoiled by home advantage and that "No. 1" label. The stage is set. The turf is theirs. Now the 'Cats need to seize the moment.