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No. 4 seed Syracuse men’s lacrosse is on the cusp of its first Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title since 2016. Despite staggering into the conference tournament on the heels of three straight losses, the Orange downed No. 1 seed Notre Dame 14-12 Friday.

The victory was interrupted by a 50-minute weather delay, but SU prevailed. Goalie Jimmy McCool returned to the stage he was thrust into last season, but this time, he shone in the limelight, notching a career-high 20 saves. Faceoff man John Mullen was near-automatic, winning 21-of-26 and scoring a momentum-boosting goal in the second quarter. Owen Hiltz was clinical, notching five goals. And the Orange’s man-down defense was impermeable, holding ND scoreless on its first four man-up opportunities before the game became farcical in the final 30 seconds.

That sounds like a thorough domination, and it mostly was for Syracuse. But its ACC Championship opponent on Sunday, No. 3 seed Duke, delivered even more of a demolition. The Blue Devils crushed No. 2 seed North Carolina 14-7. They went ahead 12-1, not allowing the Tar Heels to score a second goal until the final minute of the third quarter.

SU will now face them in the ACC Championship — its first appearance in nearly a decade.

Here’s how our beat writers think No. 4 seed Syracuse (10-5, 2-2 ACC) will fare in the ACC Tournament Championship versus No. 3 seed Duke (12-4, 2-2 ACC) Sunday:

Cooper Andrews (10-5)
“Don’t Look Back in Anger”
Syracuse 10, Duke 13

In hindsight, it was clearly unfair of me to classify Syracuse’s 2025 campaign as “a lost season.” Lacrosse is bonkers. In hours, the Orange looked like a team teetering on the edge of disaster to one that’ll likely host a first-round NCAA Tournament game.

Beating Notre Dame Friday saved SU’s season and all but guaranteed it’ll at least have a shot at winning its first national title since 2009. But I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid here. The rhythm generated against the Fighting Irish won’t carry over against the Blue Devils. Not only is Duke a worse overall matchup — Syracuse is facing it at an awful time. The Blue Devils are a buzzsaw, one the Orange won’t avoid being chopped up by.

John Danowski’s squad is on a three-game winning streak that most recently includes a 14-7 thrashing of No. 2 seed North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Friday. Duke’s loaded, unselfish offensive group, led by Eric Malever and Andrew McAdorey, is on a heater, and that will continue against Syracuse. I envision McCool facing immense pressure, and though he’ll put up a valiant effort, SU’s offense won’t be consistent against the Blue Devils’ ferocious defense — spearheaded by Aidan Maguire.

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Orange should learn from legendary rock band Oasis’ 1995 hit, “Don’t Look Back In Anger.” There’s no reason to dwell on not winning an ACC title. Much more important lacrosse is ahead. Syracuse proved it can contend with the country’s best this weekend. And, in theory, it knows what to fix before next weekend. SU has unofficially locked up a spot in the Big Dance, the only thing that truly matters.

Zak Wolf (9-6)
Charlotte is Blue
Syracuse 10, Duke 12

I don’t think I’ve ever flip-flopped more on a pick in my life. Syracuse proved a point by defeating Notre Dame, potentially turning its season around. Though Duke made an even bigger statement by bludgeoning North Carolina. I could barely focus on writing my game story postgame because there was a roar for a Duke goal every two minutes. The Blue Devils made quick work of the Tar Heels and could rest players in the fourth quarter when they held a comfortable lead. Such a fast turnaround gives Duke the slight edge, since Syracuse didn’t completely blow Notre Dame out.

The Blue Devils’ physicality poses a problem for the Orange. SU’s last time out, it was punched in the mouth and never recovered. Duke only allowed two goals to UNC in three quarters, while Syracuse had trouble containing the Tar Heels’ offense last week. Duke hasn’t given up 10 goals in over a month, and even though SU’s offense looked crisper Friday, the Blue Devils’ defense is too much.

The Orange definitely have more attacking depth, which has been a problem for Duke all season. It averages 12.25 goals per game, the second-worst mark in the ACC. Though Duke has found a diamond in the rough with Tomas Delgado. After not scoring in his first 12 games, Delgado has recorded five goals across his last two. He’s added plenty of juice to a midfield line that already boasts Benn Johnston and Max Sloat. Delgado’s emergence will give Duke just enough to get over the edge, and Syracuse will fail to win its first ACC Tournament since 2016.

Nicholas Alumkal (8-7)
Cinderella run complete
Syracuse 11, Duke 9

I can’t figure this Syracuse team out, and my prediction record proves it. The Orange have been an enigma — beating Notre Dame twice with relative ease, yet stumbling against North Carolina and Duke.

Now, somehow, they’re one win away from avenging their loss to the Blue Devils and completing an ACC Tournament run that sounded laughable a week ago. Three straight losses had the vultures circling, whispers swirling that SU might miss the NCAA Tournament entirely. But now? It’s not just dancing — it might be setting the table to host the first round.

I’ll be honest: Duke looked terrifying on Friday, shredding a solid UNC squad and pouring in goals like a busted fire hydrant. But the tape shows less brilliance, more breakdown. The Tar Heels were statues in cleats — at sixes and sevens defensively — giving the Blue Devils time, space and more green lights than Times Square at 3 a.m. And Duke, cold-blooded as surgeons with a grudge, made them pay. Give them space, and it’s like handing Dracula the keys to the blood bank.

But based on how locked in SU’s defense and McCool were Friday, Duke won’t have that room. And it might not even have the ball. If Mullen stays hot at the faceoff X — with timing sharper than a Rolex — the Orange will get plenty of chances to test Duke’s backline.

It won’t be flashy. It might not be pretty. But it could be just enough to pull off the kind of run people talk about for years — when chaos met belief, and Syracuse wrote its own mad little fairytale.

Published on May 3, 2025 at 8:35 pm