Everything to know before Syracuse’s Final Four battle with Maryland
Syracuse's offense, including players like Luke Rhoa, need to be more efficient with their shots Saturday after a dreadful .171 shooting percentage against Maryland in February. Aaron Hammer | Staff Photographer
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Nearly 6,000 days have passed since the last time Syracuse men’s lacrosse beat Maryland. Since then, UMD 15-year head coach John Tillman built a consistent upper-echelon program, while SU transitioned from John Desko to Gary Gait amid its longest-ever Final Four drought — which lasted from 2014-24.
But Gait’s mission of returning the Orange to their glory days is nearly complete. After a regular season that ended with an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, he has helmed Syracuse back to the NCAA Semifinals.
The Orange are red hot after thrilling tournament victories over Harvard and Princeton and have dreams of capturing their first national championship since 2009. But the Terrapins aren’t into dreams; they’re into nightmares. And they’ve given SU plenty.
“The idea of them having a run against us doesn’t really faze us,” Gait, whose head-to-head record against Tillman is 0-4, said Tuesday. “It’s another game, another opportunity.”
Here’s everything to know before No. 6 Syracuse (13-5, 2-2 ACC) takes on No. 2 Maryland (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) in the NCAA Semifinals Saturday in Foxborough, Massachusetts:
All-time series
Maryland leads 15-6.
Last time they played …
On Feb. 15 in College Park, the Orange fell to the Terrapins for the seventh straight time. The 11-7 loss is tied for the fewest goals SU scored all season. Syracuse took a 5-4 lead into halftime, propelled by stout play in net by Jimmy McCool and two late second-quarter goals from Joey Spallina. But the Orange came out flat in the second half and never recovered. UMD won via a balanced attack and a 12-save performance by star goalie Logan McNaney.
Postgame, Gait didn’t mince words.
“We just have to learn how to win,” he said multiple times.
The Terrapins report
Maryland is an anomaly. It spent almost the entire 2025 season near the top of the national rankings and earned the NCAA Tournament’s No. 2 seed. Yet, some numbers make UMD look closer to a mid-major than a powerhouse.
The Terrapins collect the seventh-fewest ground balls per game in the nation (25.94). They rank 34th of 74 Division I programs in faceoff win percentage (.504). Their scoring offense sits at 43rd nationally with 11 goals per contest. Their man-up offense isn’t special, either. And they are in the bottom-half of the country in average caused turnovers (7.19 per game).
But Maryland doesn’t need any of those elements to win games. It sits back without using a ride, controls the pace with methodical, efficient offensive possessions and displays an unmatched brand of defensive mastery. The Terrapins possess the No. 2 scoring defense in the nation (7.81 goals allowed per game), the seventh-best man-down unit (.760) and a scorching .912 clearing rate — second-best in D-I. And they have a Second Team All-American in McNaney to tie up any loose ends.
There’s no team better at conforming an opponent to its style of play than Maryland. It repeatedly halts top offenses. The Terrapins held Air Force to five goals in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before silencing Georgetown’s electric offense to a measly six scores in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, UMD doesn’t have a bonafide offensive superstar. But its attacking trio of Eric Spanos, Braden Erksa and Daniel Kelly — who all have over 30 goals — gets the job done. Considering the relief they get from physical long poles like Will Schaller, Jack McDonald and Jackson Canfield, the Terrapins’ offense is rarely under pressure.
How Syracuse beats Maryland
Something always seems to go awry when the Orange battle the Terrapins. Whether it’s a surprisingly lackluster offensive performance or a controversial video review stripping its victory — which happened in 2024 — Syracuse hasn’t cracked the Tillman code quite yet.
SU won’t speed up the pace of play. It won’t dominate the faceoff X. It won’t wreak havoc on Maryland’s clear. So, what can the Orange do to win?
They must put McNaney in a blender.
McNaney has finished three games in 2025 with a save percentage under .500 — against Michigan, Rutgers and in the Big Ten Tournament versus Ohio State. All three resulted in UMD losses. The Wolverines, Scarlet Knights and Buckeyes jumped out to early leads, fired precisely-placed balls past McNaney and reaped the benefits by the final buzzer.
The Orange need to do the same Saturday. Spallina, Owen Hiltz, Michael Leo and Co. better get to target practice, because last time against the Terrapins didn’t go well.
Syracuse posted a dreadful shot percentage versus Maryland in February, totaling a season-worst .171 clip. Against Princeton last weekend, SU tallied a .373 shot percentage. It’ll need to be just as accurate Saturday if it wants to end its terrors against the Terrapins.
Stat to know: 10-0
When Syracuse freshman attack/midfielder Payton Anderson scores a goal, the Orange are 10-0. When he plays and doesn’t score, SU is 1-3.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder boasts a 14-goal, three-assist statline entering the Final Four, which doesn’t jump off the page. But his rare combination of size and speed is a menacing assignment for any defender, and even a goal or two from Anderson can push Syracuse over the edge in any contest.
Player to watch: Will Schaller, defenseman, No. 27
A First-Team All-American selection this season, Schaller filled the void former all-world defenseman Ajax Zappitello left after graduating in 2024. Schaller has caused 22 turnovers, scooped up 28 ground balls and ranks in the nation’s 98th percentile in expected goals allowed per game, according to Lacrosse Reference. He limited Spallina to two goals on six shots in their previous meeting. He’ll likely be tasked with fending off SU’s star attack again Saturday.
