After six straight wins, No. 6 Syracuse men’s lacrosse’s (9-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) streak was snapped in a 14-9 loss to No. 1 North Carolina. The 14 goals scored by UNC was the most SU had allowed in a loss this season. With hopes to turn things around, Syracuse returns to the dome for its last two home regular-season games. The first of those is Saturday against No. 9 Virginia (7-4, 2-0 ACC).
“We had a tough time fighting back,” Syracuse head coach Gary Gait said after the loss to North Carolina. “They got a good mid game run that really gave them the lead and secured the win in the end.”
A five-goal performance from @UNCMensLacrosse attackman Dominic Pietramala was the difference in a 14-9 win for No. 2 North Carolina over No. 3 @CuseMLAX down in Chapel Hill.@DanPapillo and @NickEv610 had the call from Dorrance Field. pic.twitter.com/q8TL7jcNdT
— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) April 4, 2026
That run Gait mentioned was six straight goals in the second quarter by the Tar Heels. The Orange attempted to respond with two goals in the quarter, but the three-goal deficit at halftime wasn’t enough to further close the gap in the second.
One player that specifically did not stand out against UNC over the weekend was a surprise. SU attackman Joey Spallina went pointless in the loss last Saturday. This comes all while the junior is chasing the program's all-time points record and needs just seven more to break Orange legend Mike Powell’s 307 mark. Spallina’s lackluster offensive game was just the second time this season without a single point. This season, the attackman has averaged two goals and six points per game.
“When he did get the ball a few times, they slid to double really quick.” Coach Gait said about Spallina’s performance against UNC. “So there wasn’t much he could do with the ball and the stick, they made it really tough.”
Despite the most recent loss, SU has shown tenacity throughout the season as it enters the last few regular-season matchups. The Orange have collected seven of their nine wins against ranked opponents and have an undefeated 5-0 record at home this season. Something to definitely keep in mind as Syracuse is home for two straight games.
“You just prepare for the next team,” Coach Gait said about the process as the regular season winds down. “We get back to work, we get home to Syracuse and get ready for UVA.”
On the opposing sideline, Virginia enters Central New York on a win streak of its own. The Cavaliers have won four in a row, with their two most impressive victories coming over the last couple of weeks. First, on Mar. 28, UVA derailed the top team in the nation, Notre Dame, with an 11-9 victory. Just last weekend, Virginia pulled the upset once again with a four-goal win over No. 7 Duke.
For the first time since 2004, @UVAMensLax defeats Duke in the regular season 🔥 🥍 pic.twitter.com/J54IGs8TQf
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 4, 2026
Leading the charge all season have been the Millon brothers. Both attackmen, McCabe and Brendan are tied leading the ACC with five points per game. In UVA’s most recent win over Duke, Brendan led his team with six points, five of which were assists.
“Watching Brendan and McCabe play together is special,” Virginia head coach Lars Tiffany said. “It’s been really fun to mix and match those two, they can intermix to keep a defense on their toes.”
In the series history, Syracuse has won the last two matchups against Virginia. The last one at home was an 18-17 win on April 20. 2024. The Orange also have a 9-6 record inside the dome against the Cavaliers.
Gametime from the JMA Wireless Dome is set for 4 p.m. Tune in starting at 3:30 p.m. with McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Faceoff on 88.3 FM and waer.org.
