After suffering two straight losses number 11 Syracuse men’s lacrosse (3-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has dropped five spots in the rankings. The Orange fell to both number six Maryland (4-0, 0-0 Big Ten) and number 15 Harvard (2-1, 0-0 Ivy League) after starting off the season with a commanding 3-0 start. SU now hopes to secure a win against Utah (1-3, 0-0 Atlantic Sun Conference) in a break from ranked opponents for the 'Cuse.
“I'm trying to quiet the noise and focus on what we need to do to have success and win games,” said SU head coach Gary Gait after its loss to number 15 Harvard.
This is only the Utes seventh year as a program and despite success in recent seasons they’ve had a rough start. Utah has already fallen to both ranked and unranked programs one of which was Vermont (2-1, 0-0 America East), an opponent Syracuse also faced. The Utes fell 11-10 in a close matchup against the Catamounts while the 'Cuse dominated them 13-5.
A career-performance from attackman Joey Spallina propelled @CuseMLAX to a 13-5 win over @UVMmlax. @Hudson_Ridley and @Dellie_5 were on the mic for the Orange's 950th program win. pic.twitter.com/uQ8TFeAhDJ
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) February 8, 2025
Accumulating three losses early in the season already nearly tallies the amount of total losses Utah had in the 2024 season. Last year the Utes finished 12-5 and won the ASUN championship. Despite Utah losing three of its top four goal scorers from last season it returns top scorer, attackman Ryan Stines. The junior has six goals on the campaign so far, but a new face has come in to pull some of the weight. Freshman Luke McNamara has recorded ten goals on the season, scoring in every game so far for the Utes.
Despite a slow start to the season Utah is not be a team to underestimate. Three of its first four games have been decided by two goals or less, even a close 10-8 loss against number 14 Denver (2-2, 0-0 Big East).
On the flip side, Syracuse started out hot but has hit a slump five games into the season. Despite recent setbacks, the Orange offense remains a powerhouse. With over 75 goals in just five games and an average of 15 scores per contest, SU’s attack is a top-10 offense in the nation. The trio of ‘Cuse attackmen Joey Spallina, Owen Hiltz, and Finn Thompson have been crucial for SU’s success, each tallying 13 goals. As Syracuse looks to bounce back from its recent struggles, the team will need to rely on its explosive offense to continue leading the charge.
“Consistency is key and having an idea of what you're trying to accomplish,” Gary Gait said.
Even with a few setbacks early on Gait is not concerned with the talent and capabilities of his squad.
“I’m fully confident that this team is going to take it one game at a time and just have an amazing season,” Gary Gait said.
The contest between Syracuse and Utah gets underway on Saturday at 2 p.m with WAER’s coverage available on 88.3 FM or waer.org