With tournament play either starting or a few matches away, there's a lot still to play for in women's college soccer. Only three teams have mathematically clinched ACC Tournament spots. The Pac 12 still doesn't have a clear winner. And the WCC appears to be a tight battle between two powerhouses. Meanwhile, the Big Ten will see a top 25 team eliminated in the first round of play. It's a juicy week, full of exciting matches — some of which can make or break a season. Here are five to keep an eye on. 

Thursday, October 27

Duke at Notre Dame, 8 p.m. (ACC Network) 

Notre Dame has snuck its way to the top of the ACC, picking up valuable wins against Florida State, Virginia and Virginia Tech to position itself amongst the conference’s elite. On Thursday, it needs one more win, this time facing off against a tricky Duke side with a share of the ACC regular season title on the line. It’s a big game for the Blue Devils, too. They haven’t had the smoothest regular season campaign and could do with at least a tie to see itself into the conference tournament on a steady note. With loads of attacking talent on the pitch — Korbina Albert, Michelle Cooper, Olivia Wingate — this could be a fun one.

Clemson at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (ACCN Xtra)

Randy Waldrum has spent the last four years rebuilding Pitt’s program. And this year, the payoff might finally come. The Panthers have been hit with a flurry of injuries over the past few weeks, but have stayed in the conference tournament picture. A win for them Thursday night would clinch the first ACC Tournament berth in program history. Clemson is looking to play spoiler and would sneak into the tournament in front of the Panthers with a win. It all amounts for a fascinating contest.

Washington at USC, 5 p.m. (Pac 12 Network)

Washington probably needs to win two of its last three games to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. With UCLA on the schedule, the Huskies’ easiest chances for points come against USC and Utah. Thursday afternoon’s contest in Los Angeles, then, is vital. The Huskies have won only once in their last six contest against the Trojans, and haven’t picked up three points in Los Angeles since 2013. But Washington has played some good teams close this year, and was perhaps unfortunate not to come away from Stanford with at least a tie. It will need to be at its best Thursday afternoon.

Saturday, October 29

Santa Clara at BYU, 7 p.m. (WCC Network)

Santa Clara has steadily picked apart the WCC this season, depositing opponents to the tune of a 6-0 record. But now the hard part comes. The Broncos have BYU and Pepperdine next, and they will likely have to win at least one in order to claim a share of the WCC regular season crown. BYU is theoretically their most difficult remaining game — especially in Utah. The Cougars have been in fine form of late winning three on the bounce. They haven’t lost in six weeks, either. Santa Clara will need the typically reliable Izzy D’Aquila at her best Saturday evening. The striker has 17 goals to her name this season. If she finds the net in Utah, the Broncos should be positioned for a big win.

Sunday, October 30

Rutgers at Northwestern, 1 p.m. (BTN+)

The most enciting matchup in the Big Ten is one few would have seen coming before the season. Reigning champs Rutgers seemed to be in a good position to repeat — even as Penn State strengthened. Northwestern was considered solid, but a tournament hopeful. The roles were swiftly reversed, as the Wildcats racked up Big Ten wins, and now find themselves as a no. 2 seed in the tournament. These two sides met back on September 29 and played out a stingy 1-1 tie in Evanston, Illinois. Odds are, this might be a bit more of an open game. Both teams dropped points down the stretch in the regular season, and will need to recapture attacking form in knockout play.

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