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Syracuse is undefeated no more. After establishing itself as the team to beat in college lacrosse, SU floundered, falling 13-12 to then-No. 14 Harvard. The Orange were never expected to go undefeated — mostly due to their mammoth schedule — but Saturday’s result was a letdown.

The week before, SU finally vanquished its Maryland demons with an 11-9 win over the top-ranked Terrapins. However, its hard work was undone with the loss in Cambridge.

After trailing by three goals in the third quarter, Syracuse rattled off five straight, taking a 12-10 lead with six minutes left. Harvard — which beat SU in last year’s regular season, before the Orange returned the favor in the NCAA Tournament — scored the final three goals to claim its first-ever win over a No. 1 team.

For the second straight week, Syracuse is tasked with defeating a team out for revenge. Next up is Princeton, which SU defeated in the 2025 NCAA Quarterfinals in an all-time classic. The Tigers will be hungry after also beating Maryland last week. It was a big result for Princeton, which started the season with a disappointing loss to Penn State.

Here’s everything to know about the No. 7 Tigers (1-1, Ivy) ahead of their matchup with No. 6 Syracuse (3-1, Atlantic Coast):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 22-9

Last time they played

Everything was on the line when Syracuse and Princeton met at James M. Shuart Stadium last May. SU was looking to clinch its first Final Four appearance since 2009, while Princeton hoped to make its second since 2004. The Orange came out on top 19-18 in an absurd back-and-forth affair.

The contest had 10 ties and nine lead changes. Princeton led by three early, but Joey Spallina exploded with three straight goals in the second quarter. Still, the Tigers led by one at halftime.

Though Syracuse scored the first six in the third quarter and seemingly had the game won, Princeton stormed back, scoring seven of the next eight goals to lead 18-17 with 4:54 left. SU responded with strikes from Michael Leo and Owen Hiltz to put it over the top.

Spallina delivered a signature performance with four goals and four assists, while Leo and Hiltz both recorded hat tricks. Chad Palumbo’s six goals led Princeton, but it wasn’t enough.

The Tigers Report

Princeton returned a large portion of its roster that lost to Syracuse last May, with its biggest departure being Coulter Mackesy. The attack finished as the Tigers’ all-time leading scorer (165 goals) and second all-time points leader (241). They also lost long pole Colin Mulshine, who got shredded as the primary defender on Spallina in last year’s meeting.

Mackesy is a big subtraction for a team that averaged 13.76 goals per game last season, but even without him, the Tigers might have the best offense in the country. Their depth is exceptional, and they can hurt opponents in many ways. Palumbo leads Princeton with just six points in two games, one of five players with at least four.

Peter Buonanno is a creative finisher around the crease, while Colin Burns and Tucker Wade are skilled downhill dodgers. The best of the bunch might be Nate Kabiri, who can fire laser beams from deep like Mackesy did. Any one of them can explode at any time.

Princeton started slowly in its season opener versus Penn State. It scored one goal in the first quarter — and seven total, its fewest since 2024 — and trailed by six goals. The Tigers turned it up a notch against Maryland to pull off an upset.

Defensively, Princeton is held down by goalie Ryan Croddick. The senior has had a rough start to his campaign, saving just 43.2% of the shots he’s faced. Yet he’s still a solid netminder, finishing with a 56.6% save rate last year.

How Syracuse beats Princeton

Because Princeton’s offense is so explosive, Jimmy McCool must have a big day. McCool was solid against Harvard with 13 saves, but at times, was let down by poor defending. Last year, the goalie struggled against the Tigers, saving just 40% of their shots, but came up with a couple of big saves late.

On the other hand, John Mullen has to have a better game than he did against Harvard. It sounds weird, considering he still won 52% of his attempts, but last year he won 88% across two meetings with the Crimson. Mullen will be up against Andrew McMeekin, who got the better of him last year, but McMeekin has had a rough start to 2026. He’s won just 39% of his faceoffs, albeit against two tough units in Maryland and Penn State. If Mullen consistently earns possession for Syracuse, its offense will take care of business.

Stat to know: 23

It’s been 23 years since Syracuse won an outdoor game in February. The stat sounds preposterous, but it’s true. However, the Orange have only played four games outside in February since defeating Army 15-7 on Feb. 22, 2003. Because SU plays in a dome, it can withstand Syracuse’s frigid weather.

Still, going without an outdoor win in February for over two decades is shocking. SU detractors typically accused it of being a different team away from the JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange have a chance to change that narrative this season with eight road games, including their current six-game stretch. Friday gives SU another chance to break its February road woes.

Player to watch: Nate Kabiri, No. 2, attack

Princeton’s offense is as slick as it gets, and Kabiri is a big reason why. His pinpoint shooting is on par with anyone in the country. Through two seasons, he’s been extremely productive for the Tigers. He had 56 points as a freshman and bested that with 61 (32 goals, 29 assists) in 2025.

In the NCAA Quarterfinals, he was held to just one goal and two assists, while Palumbo and Buonanno exploded. Kabiri had a relatively slow start to his junior campaign, with just four points in two games. He was held to one assist against Maryland but remains a big threat versus Syracuse.

Published on February 25, 2026 at 11:40 pm
Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22