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All year, Syracuse men’s lacrosse has made it a point to call every game its “Super Bowl,” simply by virtue of it being its next game. Whether it’s Air Force or Maryland, the opponent doesn’t matter. Only the date on the calendar.

It seems a bit ridiculous to say in the regular season, when every game isn’t life-or-death, and certain games have more significance than others. But that statement has never been truer than now, in the NCAA Tournament, where every contest sends someone home.

With the quarterfinals on deck, the Orange take on North Carolina, a team they’ve already faced twice this season. SU suffered a 14-9 loss in Chapel Hill and a 12-10 defeat in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Semifinals. Syracuse has one last opportunity at revenge, and this time, a trip to Championship Weekend is on the line.

Here’s how our beat writers think No. 6 seed SU (12-5, 2-2 ACC) will fare against No. 3 seed North Carolina (13-4, 2-2 ACC) in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals Saturday:

Zak Wolf (15-2)
Third time’s the charm
Syracuse 13, North Carolina 12

I’m officially a Syracuse graduate, so forgive me if writing this is a little weird. But hey, I finally get to enjoy SU lacrosse as a fan, so F it, I’ll be a little bit of a homer. The Orange are going to their second straight Final Four, where they’ll be two games away from glory.

I refuse to believe Joey Spallina will go out with a whimper, especially at James M. Shuart Stadium, where he’s played and watched many games since he was a kid. Just look at his four-goal, four-assist outing versus Princeton last season in the same venue. Spallina is going to have another legacy-defining performance.

Although this won’t be another shootout, it’ll be hotly contested. Another key to the equation is Owen Duffy’s health. The Tewaaraton Award finalist missed UNC’s first-round bout versus UAlbany and remains questionable for Saturday’s contest. ESPN’s Paul Carcaterra said Syracuse should want Duffy to play because he’s less than 100%, and I agree.

Hamstring injuries are tough, especially for a quick-twitch athlete like Duffy. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t play given how big this game is, but him being hampered would be great for Syracuse.

That doesn’t mean the Orange will walk to a win. The Tar Heels already beat SU twice this year. But in sports, I’m a huge proponent of the idea that when you lose to a team twice, it’s almost certain you’ll win the third. That theory will be put to the test in Hempstead, and anything other than a win is an unmitigated disaster for Syracuse.

Nicholas Alumkal (13-4)
Long Island legends are made
Syracuse 15, North Carolina 14

Long Island is undoubtedly one of the most quintessential lacrosse hotbeds. The sport’s deeply ingrained in the area’s culture, the way the bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches and iced tea are.

Brennan O’Neill. Rob Pannell. Tom Schreiber. Some of the best lacrosse players unsurprisingly hail from the island. On Saturday, each side has key contributors looking to raise their legend status on home turf and keep their season going.

On the Orange side, there’s Spallina. Some crowned him the king of Long Island last year when he finished with eight points in SU’s one-goal win against Princeton. His crown is under threat, though, as he returns to the same venue on the same stage. I expect him to retain it, though, with some help from fellow Long Islander Michael Leo. Leo is one of the deadliest shooters and dodgers in the nation. The two will provide some home cooking.

However, North Carolina has beaten Syracuse twice this season. It features Duffy, a Tewaaraton finalist and Long Island native, in attack, who records 4.31 points per game. But his status is questionable.

If he plays, he’s deadly and can dictate an offense — the Orange were on the wrong end of six Duffy assists in their ACC Tournament loss on May 1. But if he doesn’t play, UNC is still dangerous. The team won’t defer to Duffy. North Carolina is deep, and it’ll charge ahead. Freshman midfielder Anthony Raio, another Long Island native, could build off his four points against UAlbany.

I expect another thriller like last year’s barn-burner versus Princeton. And I expect another Syracuse win at this stage and at this venue. Once again, it’ll be the Orange who can devour the Grandma-style pizza postgame in celebration.

Mauricio Palmar (12-5)
If not now, then when?
Syracuse 16, North Carolina 14

The Orange couldn’t be facing a more favorable game script heading into the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. Facing an opponent who you’ve already faced twice before — hoo boy, what a tricky scouting report! — and who’s likely missing its best player, Duffy, the talisman who blitzed SU for six assists in the ACC Tournament.

With Duffy’s hamstring injury for UNC this went from a game Cuse “could” win to a game they “should” win.

What do you think? @LacrosseNetwork pic.twitter.com/MUw5F1i0ux

— doogs (@d00gs) May 14, 2026

That’s all that needs to be said. There’s no coddling or hand-holding or excuses or caveats that need to be levied in Syracuse’s defense heading into Saturday. If SU doesn’t win now, with the deck as stacked against it as ever, then it’ll never win.

The class of 2022 has one last chance to prove it deserves a spot in Syracuse lacrosse lore for eternity. So does Spallina. Right now, the jury is still out, even with the Orange’s first trip to the Final Four since 2009 last season.

You can argue all the talk about a national championship is just lip service. That SU doesn’t belong among the nation’s elite, and it doesn’t have what it takes to make a trip to Championship Weekend. I, on the other hand, disagree. I think the Orange will take what they learned from those first two matchups against UNC and finally vanquish the North Carolina team that’s plagued them the whole season.

Because if not now, I’m convinced Syracuse will never make a run back to Championship Weekend. And I don’t think SU will ever resign itself to that fate.

Published on May 14, 2026 at 11:49 pm