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Syracuse secured its first top-10 win of the season when it outlasted then-No. 7 Johns Hopkins 13-10 on March 9. A three-goal SU run in the third quarter, capped by a stunning hidden-ball trick goal, pushed the Orange ahead, and they held on for the victory.

SU also outmuscled the Blue Jays, winning the ground-ball battle 32-20 — including a dominant 16-4 ground-ball advantage in the third quarter. With attack Finn Thomson ruled “out for a while” with an injury, per Syracuse head coach Gary Gait, Owen Hiltz netted a tie-for-season-high four goals and took home Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Goalie Jimmy McCool earned the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week for his tied-for-career-high 12 saves to sweep the ACC awards.

After receiving an NCAA Tournament resume-boosting win and a week off, SU returns to action against Manhattan Tuesday. Current Syracuse defensive coordinator John Odierna spent eight seasons with the Jaspers — seven as a defensive coordinator and one as a head coach.

Here’s everything you need to know about Manhattan (4-3, 2-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic) before its matchup with No. 10 Syracuse (5-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast):

All-time Series

Syracuse leads 1-0.

Last time they played…

SU finished a three-game week earlier in the 2024 season with a dominant 16-3 win over the Jaspers on Feb. 9 in the two teams’ first-ever contest to start the season 3-0. The Orange provided a diverse attack with 11 different goal scorers, led by a 10-point performance from Joey Spallina and Hiltz’s six-point display. Syracuse also bossed the ground ball battle, 44-27, and went 19-for-23 at the faceoff X.

The Jaspers Report

Manhattan began its 2025 campaign by steamrolling Wagner 14-3 in its season opener before eking out a 9-7 win over Monmouth. However, the Jaspers spiraled into a three-game losing skid, falling 12-6 to Vermont — which SU trounced 13-5 — dropping an 8-7 overtime heartbreaker to Fairfield and succumbing 12-7 to Stony Brook.

Since then, Manhattan has rebounded with a 2-0 start in MAAC play, narrowly escaping Merrimack 12-11 on March 8 and grinding out a 13-11 win over Mount St. Mary’s. However, with the Orange benefiting from an eight-day layoff, the Jaspers will face a well-rested juggernaut.

Last season, Manhattan reached the conference title game with aspirations of reclaiming the MAAC crown for the first time since 2022 but faltered in an 11-5 defeat to Sacred Heart. With the graduation of prolific scorer Kyle Gucwa (36 goals, 68 points) and top faceoff specialist James Hogan (.502 faceoff win percentage, eighth in the MAAC), the Jaspers have struggled at the X, ranking seventh-worst in the conference with a paltry .423 win percentage.

Yet, Manhattan’s defense remains a stronghold. Despite lacking competition on Syracuse’s level, the Jaspers boast the nation’s 10th-best defensive efficiency, conceding just 9.14 goals per game. According to Lacrosse Reference, Manhattan also operates at a glacial pace, ranking 66th in Division I offensive tempo, a pace likely to slow further against SU.

Hannah Mesa | Design Editor

How Syracuse beats Manhattan

Syracuse shouldn’t encounter major resistance dispatching the Jaspers, but the faceoff X presents a glaring mismatch. While Manhattan languishes among the bottom-10 nationally in faceoff win percentage, SU’s John Mullen ranks among the elite, sitting fifth nationally at .650 and leading the country with 104 faceoff wins.

Another Achilles’ heel for Manhattan is its anemic offense, averaging 9.71 goals per game. Meanwhile, SU’s defense has proven formidable, ranking 13th nationally despite squaring off against four ranked opponents this season. The Jaspers will likely struggle to crack the Orange’s defensive fortress.

Stat to Know: 13.85

Manhattan’s greatest asset may be its ball security. The Jaspers commit just 13.85 turnovers per game, ranking fifth in D-I. However, Syracuse is even more meticulous with possession, averaging just 12.71 turnovers per contest — the second-best mark in the country, trailing only No. 1 Maryland by 0.04. Additionally, SU generates havoc defensively, forcing 9.86 caused turnovers per game, ranking 16th nationally.

Player to Watch: Connor Engel, attack, No. 55

With Gucwa’s departure, Connor Engel has emerged as Manhattan’s offensive catalyst. The sophomore leads the team with 13 goals and seven assists through seven games, recording back-to-back hat tricks.

Hailing from Los Alamitos, California, Engel began the season as a reserve but quickly earned a starting role with his early-season fireworks, punctuated by a game-winning goal against Merrimack on March 8. Last year, Engel played for Lindenwood, tallying 12 points in 12 games as a freshman. Now, he shoulders Manhattan’s offensive load against a suffocating Syracuse defense.

Published on March 17, 2025 at 10:02 pm
Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu | @nalumkal