Syracuse women’s lacrosse falls to No. 8 in Inside Lacrosse Week 12 Poll
Syracuse dropped to No. 8 in Inside Lacrosse’s Week 12 Poll after defeating Virginia but losing to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament. Courtesy of Nell Redmond/Atlantic Coast Conference
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After exiting the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in the semifinals, Syracuse women’s lacrosse (13-5, 7-3 ACC) dropped two spots to No. 8 in the Inside Lacrosse Week 12 Poll. The Orange clung to an early lead to defeat Virginia 11-9 in the quarterfinals Wednesday before falling 19-9 to top-ranked North Carolina Friday.
Stanford jumped SU after reaching the ACC Championship. Now, the Orange await their NCAA Tournament seeding, with a 94% chance of hosting the first and second rounds, per Lacrosse Reference.
Prior to the ACC Tournament, Syracuse head coach Regy Thorpe said playoff lacrosse demands greater intensity, and the Orange brought it early against the Cavaliers. After UVA opened the scoring less than two minutes in, SU scored seven of the next eight goals to hold a 7-2 third-quarter lead.
But Virginia wasn’t a dead fish yet. It scored seven of the final 11 goals, narrowing SU’s lead to as few as one with five minutes remaining. Then, a Joely Caramelli poke check led to Molly Guzik’s third score of the afternoon, sealing Syracuse’s victory with 2:34 remaining.
The Orange didn’t have much time to celebrate, as their win pinned them against North Carolina in the tournament’s semifinals. UNC had boatraced nearly every team it played, winning 36 of its last 37 games. It rolled to a 7-1 lead through seven minutes, and SU never found its footing, allowing 19 goals, its most since 2018.
The NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs on May 3 at 9 p.m. Until then, Syracuse will iron out its ACC Tournament flaws in hopes of making a run at championship weekend.
