GREAT FALLS, Mont. – There is something markedly different about the (19) University of Providence lacrosse team's preparation for its 2018 season opener than every other preseason in program history. For the first time in program history, the team coming off of a winning season and enters the year nationally ranked. More than that though is an air of confidence that wasn't there before.

"It's a lot different and the guys are enjoying it. I'm enjoying it," Head Coach Fred Boekel said. "It's fun to strive for that level of completion and know that you have the talent now to compete with the top teams."

To start a year filled with expectations of beating ranked teams and making a run at the PNCLL Championship and the program's first trip to MCLA Nationals, the Argos will face a team its favored against on paper but has never beaten. That team is Gonzaga, who beat UP in a tight 12-11 game last year.

UP's season opener against the Zags was supposed to also be the team's home opener, initially scheduled for March 3 on Argo Field. A brutal few weeks of snow forced the game to change to a road contest and the team will travel to Spokane, Washington for a 5 p.m. contest on the third.

While the game will be the first of the year for UP, it will be the third for Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are 0-2 to start the season including a 22-10 loss to (14) College of Idaho. Through those two games, the Zag's top offensive threat has been freshman middie Daniel Bradley who leads the team in points (7), goals (4), and assists (3).

The last time the two teams faced it was before a turning point in the Argo program. In the first eight games of the 2017 season, UP was 4-4 including the loss to Gonzaga. Then the team upset then 8th ranked Montana State and rallied off five straight wins before losing in the PNCLL semifinals.

In the loss to the Bulldogs, UP led 6-4 at the end of the first half before falling behind 12-9. The Argos then scored 2 goals in the final minute, but couldn't get a third to force overtime. Gonzaga had fits trying to defend UP attackman Josh Smith who finished with 6 goals and 1 assist. The Argos also had a distinct advantage at the faceoff X, going 17-24.

Some good news for UP is that the Zags graduated goalkeeper Gaelen Murray who had 12 saves in last year's contest, and his replacement sophomore Matt Schaffer has a 34.5 save percentage so far in 2018. The bad news is that the Argos have yet to actually practice on a full field in 2018, being limited to indoor and partial field practices due to snow.

"We have yet to be on a field, so expectations are – wow – I wish I could tell you what is going to happen," Boekel said. "I think we have the talent to come out and dominate Gonzaga, but we have to play and we have to play hard."

The game marks the start of a 10-game road stand that won't have the Argos playing at home until April 14. Of those 10 games, seven will be played against ranked opponents, including two Top-10 teams.

"I think it's all mindset. I think the guys are prepared to play a really tough schedule," Boekel said. "In the past few years they've been pounded at times and they never gave up. I think that gives them some resiliency and I think having that under their belts means they're up for the challenge."