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When Syracuse’s opponents are coasting down the field, they might want to make a U-turn.

Turn left? There’s Mackenzie Salentre. She flashes her stick, and before you know it, the ball’s on the ground. The graduate student then picks it up and clears it past the midfield stripe.

Cutting inside is an indiscretion many Atlantic Coast Conference attacks make. Kaci Benoit plants one foot in front of the other. As the ball takes flight, she bats it down. There’s hardly any way around her. If you somehow make it, though, Coco Vandiver’s waiting. The senior might give you a shoulder bump as she strips the ball.

Climbing the right flank is arguably the worst way to go. With the season Izzy Lahah’s having — leading SU in caused turnovers (34) and ground balls (33) — you may as well throw in the towel. If you somehow get through, you won’t get past Regy Thorpe’s “last resort,” goalie Daniella Guyette.

There’s no hotter defense in the country than No. 3 Syracuse’s (9-3, 5-2 ACC). Whether it’s the intimidating back line, Guyette’s heroics or support from their midfielders, the Orange wreak havoc defensively. They concede the nation’s third-fewest goals per game (seven) and rank first and second in the ACC in ground balls (217) and caused turnovers (145). They’ve surrendered double-digit goals in just two games.

“They’re just gritty as heck,” Thorpe said after SU defeated Virginia on March 21.

Through its nine-game winning streak, Syracuse’s identity has been shaped by its defense, notably conceding under seven goals in five straight games. Early in the year, though, offensive deficiencies overshadowed that identity.

If the Orange couldn’t generate more than seven goals against then-No. 7 Maryland and then-No. 3 Stanford in February, their defense wouldn’t be reimbursed. After losing to the Terrapins, Thorpe said the defense was a silver lining, but the attack needed to convert more.

That’s not to say there weren’t defensive miscues. SU scooped up 10 or fewer ground balls in losses to the Cardinal and then-No. 1 North Carolina. But the Orange cleaned up those issues faster than their offensive hitches.

Once Syracuse’s schedule loosened up, it found its offensive groove, which, in turn, highlighted its stifling defense. Other than more favorable opponents, nobody can pinpoint what changed. Vandiver’s best guess is the team’s bond off the field.

But something snapped after the Orange dropped to 0-3. They were still the underdog against then-No. 13 Loyola on Feb. 24, which was transparent with a two-goal halftime lead.

The turning point of the season came in the second half. SU exploded on a 7-0 run. Syracuse recorded five ground balls and caused four turnovers in the third quarter. Guyette, meanwhile, miraculously didn’t face a shot on goal.

“Our D’s been standing on their head all season, but tonight, we got stops,” Thorpe said postgame.

Against a fiery Louisville offense a few days later, the Orange forced 19 turnovers, their most in a game in seven years. Lahah set the tone early in the first half, scooping up a caused turnover at midfield and taking it the distance for a goal.

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The junior has had a career season, ranking in the 99th percentile in defensive expected goals against (6.12) and ground ball percentage (8.8%), per Pro Lacrosse Reference.

But that was the appetizer. SU’s main course came in early March against California and Virginia Tech, when 7-0 runs became the benchmark. Syracuse blanked the Golden Bears in the second frame and held the Hokies to one first-half score, winning both games 13-3.

“Our goal is always under 10,” Vandiver said after SU beat VT.

Following the early-season gauntlet, the Orange were pitted in a similarly rough patch in mid-March. They embarked on a three-game ranked stretch, starting against Madison Taylor and then-No. 4 Northwestern.

Despite scoring a hat trick in every other game this year, Taylor was held to one goal in Syracuse’s win. SU’s back line also held former Orange attack Olivia Adamson pointless in her revenge opportunity.

Once is a coincidence. The Orange were then tasked with then-No. 6 Yale, which terminated their 2025 season. This year’s matchup wasn’t the back line’s best showing, causing single-digit turnovers for the only time during the win streak. But Guyette saved the day with four pivotal third-quarter saves.

“To hold them to five goals was a great accomplishment by the defense,” Thorpe said postgame.

No. 20 Virginia spooked SU’s offense a week ago, holding it to six goals. Yet Syracuse’s defense never wavered, tallying double-digit caused turnovers and blanking the Cavaliers for 32 minutes. While 2025 All-ACC First Team member Kate Galica shone in the first half, she was held to zero points in the second.

A few days later, UAlbany gave the Orange their hardest run since Feb. 28 with eight goals, but SU held on. Still, Thorpe said his squad didn’t play their best for the full 60 minutes.

Saturday’s performance against then-No. 24 Pittsburgh was the cherry on top of the defensive explosion. SU held the Panthers to just two goals through 45 minutes.

Goals are the obtrusive way for Syracuse to win games. But it knows that can’t be relied upon. After all, losing Adamson and Emma Ward this offseason drove down attack production.

Instead, the Orange discovered a defensive niche. Giving Lahah increased playing time and nabbing Salentre from the transfer portal brought the unit — which already featured Vandiver and Benoit — to a new level.

Now, SU sits above the rest. It ranks at least nine spots ahead of its remaining four opponents, per Inside Lacrosse’s latest poll. Syracuse’s 21.5% defensive efficiency also ranks third in the country.

With North Carolina and Stanford losing their first games of the season last week, Thorpe knows his squad can beat anyone.

“(The defense has) been our anchor all year,” Thorpe said.

Published on March 30, 2026 at 10:57 pm
Contact Jason: jaglick@syr.edu | @jason_glick