In a top ten clash, a strong first half from No. 7 @CuseMLAX was the difference in a 14-9 win over No. 5 @NDlacrosse.@ginoantimarino and @Hudson_Ridley had the call of SU's first win over ND since 2018. pic.twitter.com/peSWNZsiG5
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) April 5, 2025
No. 7 Syracuse (9-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) finally took down No. 5 Notre Dame (5-3, 1-1 ACC) for the first time since 2018, 14-9 from the dome. Yes, it’s been seven years since the Orange last beat the Fighting Irish.
And it didn’t look like that at first.
Less than two minutes after his first score, @NDlacrosse grad student Devon McLane wrapped around cage and lasered in another.@ginoantimarino illustrated the Fighting Irish's third unanswered.
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) April 5, 2025
📻@waer883 , https://t.co/BG0Q3sGq3P pic.twitter.com/vcUCvPTebY
ND scored the game’s first three goals in the opening 10 minutes, and the excitement that was building up before this match turned into an uneasy feeling for SU. That is, until the Orange responded in a big way in all facets of the game.
“Everyone out there made a play,” Syracuse head coach Gary Gait said. “Both ends, faceoffs, goalie, they did what we needed to have success against a two-time national championship team.”
On offense, Syracuse scored the following nine goals unanswered after Notre Dame’s three-goal start. Orange attackman Joey Spallina led the way with four goals.
The offensive spectacle from @CuseMLAX attackman Joey Spallina has continued throughout the fourth quarter.@Hudson_Ridley illustrated the junior's 99th career goal.
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) April 5, 2025
📻@waer883, https://t.co/BG0Q3sGXTn pic.twitter.com/BRt9wdHFuH
On defense, Syracuse made it incredibly difficult today on the nation's third-best offense. Notre Dame didn’t score again after its 3-0 start until the final minute of the third quarter. The highlight for this side of the ball was the man-down defense. The ‘Cuse held the Fighting Irish to just one goal on four man-up opportunities, one of which was two-men up. SU goalie Jimmy McCool credited the guys in front of him.
“I think we were really connected,” McCool said. “We were talking after every play, and we were aggressive. We knew they were going to be a team that comes out firing, and we wanted to match that.”
Coach Gait credited the team’s physicality.
“Our guys can [play tough],” Gait said. “We honestly just talk about winning ground balls and playing tough. They can play any type of lacrosse.”
And that was on display at the faceoff X. After starting the game one of three, leading to ND’s three scores, SU FOGO John Mullen won 15 of the next 20 draws.
The gauntlet for the Orange continues next week as Syracuse takes on No. 1 Cornell on Long Island. Gametime is at 4 p.m. Tune in to McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Faceoff at 3:30.