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When Syracuse’s schedule was released in January, it was easy to pinpoint the final four games as the most eye-catching stretch. Early season tests were present, though the consecutive mammoth challenges in the final month overrode them. The Orange suffered two early setbacks — falling to No. 2 Maryland and No. 11 Harvard — though they arrived at the daunting stretch in a solid position.

Syracuse has won five straight games, tying its longest win streak under head coach Gary Gait. Though the path ahead for SU is formidable. In its final four games, it will face the No. 1, 5, 8 and 12 teams in the country. For now, the Orange likely have a place in the NCAA Tournament. That can change quickly if they falter down the stretch.

The first hurdle is a showdown with Notre Dame, the two-time reigning national champions. Like Syracuse, the Fighting Irish had a couple of blunders before Atlantic Coast Conference play, falling to the Terrapins and No. 3 Ohio State. Since then, the Fighting Irish have hit their stride, dismantling No. 13 Michigan and No. 12 Duke by a combined 19 goals.

Here’s how our beat writers feel No. 7 Syracuse (8-2, 1-0 ACC) will fare against No. 5 Notre Dame (5-2, 0-0 ACC) at the JMA Wireless Dome Saturday:

Cooper Andrews (7-3)
JMA Dome > Golden Dome
Syracuse 12, Notre Dame 10

This is the battle of aura. Yes, I said it. Aura. There’s arguably no signature piece of equipment in sports better than Notre Dame’s painted gold helmets, while Syracuse’s chrome helmets speak to the program’s flashy history. Yet, the reason I think the Orange will be victorious in Saturday’s contest is because of their gritty defense.

Move over, Golden Dome. Enclosed in the suffocating JMA Wireless Dome, the Fighting Irish will be stagnant against Riley Figueiras, Billy Dwan III, Nick Caccamo and the rest of John Odierna’s No. 4-ranked scoring defense. I see SU winning a low-scoring affair.

Jake Taylor elicits plenty of concern for the Orange. In four career matchups versus Syracuse, Taylor tallied 15 goals. He even had eight in their April 2, 2022, meeting. At the end of the day, Taylor might get his production no matter what. And that’s fine. Because just like last week, when SU got dominated by Virginia’s McCabe Millon (three goals, three assists) but wasn’t tested by anyone else, the Orange can secure a victory by limiting Notre Dame’s secondary options.

Without Pat Kavanagh, I fear ND doesn’t have the same alpha behind its attack. As long as Joey Spallina, Owen Hiltz and maybe even freshman Payton Anderson lead a solid offensive effort, I trust Syracuse’s defense to deliver a lockdown performance.

Zak Wolf (9-1)
Luck of the Irish
Syracuse 11, Notre Dame 14

At this point in the Gary Gait era, Syracuse should be expected to win games like this. Yet, whenever matchups like this come up on SU’s schedule I have a hard time picking it. It’s hard to pinpoint one thing, but the Orange just misses an “it-factor” in these games. Whenever Syracuse has to play battle-tested teams with experience up and down their roster, it feels like the Orange have disappointing results. It’s why I picked them to lose against Maryland earlier this year, and it’s why I see them faltering against Notre Dame for a seventh-straight time.

Notre Dame may have lost Tewaaraton-winner Kavanagh, but it still has the most efficient offense in the country, per Lacrosse Reference. Pat’s brother Chris Kavanagh is the heartbeat of ND’s offense, recording 35 points this season, but its depth is what presents problems for Syracuse. Eight players have at least 10 points. ND is relentless, sometimes running three midfield lines in a game, keeping its offense fresh.

The Fighting Irish also boast a physical brand of lacrosse which is perfect to counter Syracuse’s finesse style. The way Notre Dame plays wears teams down. Syracuse certainly has the firepower to keep up with ND, with Spallina and Hiltz, but I trust the Fighting Irish’s experience more in a big game.

Nicholas Alumkal (7-3)
Let’s talk about six
Syracuse 12, Notre Dame 11

It hit me Monday night. Syracuse men’s lacrosse is like Liverpool Football Club. First the nicknames: The Orange and The Reds. A striking comparison, right? But the real connection runs deeper. Liverpool once ruled English and European football before a brutal 30-year title drought from 1990 to 2020. Sound familiar? Syracuse, a storied program, hasn’t won a national championship since 2009. And who did LFC overcome to win that elusive championship? The reigning two-time champions, Manchester City. Who is SU playing this weekend? The reigning two-time champions, Notre Dame.

Not convinced yet? Listen to former Liverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp in an interview with Norwegian journalist Jan Åge Fjørtoft before LFC’s title run. His message was “Let’s talk about six,” referring to Liverpool winning its sixth Champions League against Tottenham Hotspur in 2019. It also applies to SU as it chases a sixth straight win — extending Gait’s best stretch as head coach. Syracuse will continue my risible comparison with a win over the Fighting Irish.

Saturday’s contest at the premier venue in college lacrosse, the JMA Wireless Dome — much like Liverpool’s eminent home stadium, Anfield — will come down to the faceoff X. John Mullen is coming off his worst showing of an otherwise terrific season. Against ND’s Will Lynch, who has the sixth highest faceoff winning percentage nationally, just behind Mullen, the Orange’s faceoff man will rebound and set up Syracuse’s high-flying offense to edge the Fighting Irish. And maybe, postgame, with six straight wins in hand, Gait can talk about something much bigger: breaking the drought. Just like the Reds did.

Published on April 2, 2025 at 9:20 pm