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Syracuse’s 17-2 defeat to its rival Boston College Thursday marked a new low for the program. SU’s two goals were the fewest it’s scored ever. Its 15-goal deficit was its worst in 20 years.

The Orange’s history dates back decades. They’ve made 21 NCAA Tournaments and 10 Final Fours, amassing over 200 more wins than losses all-time. Just last year, a 9-7 regular-season record would seem ludicrous due to Syracuse’s accomplishments as a program. But that’s why Thursday’s embarrassment to BC might just be rock bottom for SU.

Heading into the season, Syracuse looked to be trending up after making its second straight Final Four. Despite its seventh consecutive loss to BC ending its season, SU looked to be undoubtedly among the best programs in the country.

“I just really want these kids to have an opportunity to compete at a really high level,” Syracuse head coach Kayla Treanor said after last year’s Final Four loss.

Despite losing many key players in the offseason — like attack Emma Tyrrell, goalie Delaney Sweitzer and draw control specialist Kate Mashewske — SU still looked primed to remain strong. In previous years, as program legends like Emily Hawryschuk and Megan Carney graduated, new stars such as Emma Ward and Tyrrell took their place and kept SU among the sport’s upper echelon.

Just like back then, SU replenished this offseason with a strong freshman class, boasting five players inside the top-100 of Inside Lacrosse’s class of 2024 rankings. To Treanor’s credit, many have excelled. Caroline Trinkaus, Mileena Cotter and Molly Guzik have each been impactful on offense, finishing the regular season with a combined 61 goals.

But Syracuse lacked star power. It had Ward and Olivia Adamson, who’d both totaled over 80 points the year before, initially. Though that duo only lasted three games after Adamson suffered a season-ending injury. And SU has never completely filled her void since. While Trinkaus, Emma Muchnick and Gracie Britton have emerged as reliable secondary options, Ward remains without a truly elite counterpart.

Syracuse attack Emma Ward (No. 44) fires a shot off target against Boston College. Thursday, Ward, the only current SU player that’s beaten BC, was held to zero points for the first time since SU’s 2023 Final Four loss to the Eagles. Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor

“We’re trying a bunch of different things and trying to figure out what the chemistry is, and that will take game experience,” Treanor said about Adamson’s absence after SU’s loss to then-No. 12 Clemson on March 1. “It’s absolutely gonna be a new look for us.”

That new look showed flaws immediately. After losing Adamson, SU was thrown into the fire with back-to-back games against then-No. 2 North Carolina and then-No. 3 Northwestern. If it had any hopes of making a deep NCAA Tournament run — or exorcising its demons against BC — it had to prove it could hang with the nation’s elite.

Syracuse instead showed minimal signs of life. It was demolished by UNC 16-8, not even getting within six goals in the second half and trailing 10-2 in the second quarter. While it was slightly more competitive against the Wildcats, losing 12-8, that doesn’t count for anything.

“We’re learning a lot. It’s still February,” Treanor said after falling to Northwestern. “Our goal is to be great at the end of the year and just continue to get better as the season goes on.”

But that’s not what’s happened.

The Orange have proven they can beat lower-ranked teams. They handily defeated then-No. 7 Maryland 15-9 before capturing their second ranked win of the season against then-No. 7 Stanford in double overtime. On top of that, it notched three straight wins midway through the campaign over then-No. 17 Loyola, then-No. 20 Notre Dame and then-No. 11 Virginia.

But those aren’t the teams standing between Syracuse and a deep postseason run. Sure, the Orange might steal a win or two in the NCAA Tournament. But for a program accustomed to chasing championships, that would feel more like a consolation prize than a cause for celebration.

Syracuse has struggled against the nation’s best. And that’s what will matter as the calendar nears May.

That was put on blast even more Thursday against the Eagles. SU was all out of sorts from the jump, trailing 10-0 at halftime. It marked the first time the Orange were held scoreless in a first half since April 11, 2010, when they fell behind 6-0 to then-No. 15 Notre Dame. And nothing changed in the back half, leading to its 17-2 thrashing.

“Fortunately for us, we have more season to play,” Treanor said postgame. “We’re in a position to continue in the postseason.”

Syracuse tries to gather possession in the midfield against BC Thursday. SU was mostly evenly matched on the box score, though the Eagles converted 17 of their 26 shots to goals, while the Orange could only muster two scores with their 23 shots. Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor

But if Syracuse can’t even put up a fight against the country’s top teams, how is it supposed to get any further than it did the last two years? It’s unlikely SU can skate to the Final Four without facing one of UNC, Northwestern or Boston College along the way. If they can’t beat any of them now, the Orange’s chances to pull off a miraculous upset in the postseason are slim.

That wasn’t the case in years past. In 2024, it upset then-No. 2 Notre Dame. A year earlier, it beat three top-5 teams. In 2021, it notched an even more impressive six top-5 wins. That consistent success against the nation’s elite is what cemented the Orange as one of the sport’s premier programs — they didn’t just compete with the best; they beat them.

But in 2025, that standard has unraveled and Syracuse’s stock has plummeted. It’s already hit its most losses in its four years under Treanor. And it’s sitting at its lowest ranking since 2018, when it went 9-10 and fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Princeton.

Yes, Syracuse is still likely to earn a tournament berth. Twenty-nine teams qualify each year. Treanor dubbed the postseason as “Season Two,” where Syracuse could potentially rebound.

Still, Thursday’s drubbing to BC was impossible to ignore. SU set multiple program records for all the wrong reasons, a gut-punch confirming the program has reached an undeniable nadir.

“There’s a lot of different things I’m sure we could all take back,” Treanor said Thursday. “Especially as their coach, I take a lot of responsibility, and I will have them more prepared, and we will be more organized going into the postseason.”

Noah Nussbaum is an Assistant Sports Editor at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at njnussba@syr.edu or on X @Noahnuss99.

Published on April 18, 2025 at 1:06 am
Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @ Noahnuss99