Observations from No. 14 SU’s loss to No. 1 UNC: Draw deja vu, making progress
Syracuse used a varied offense against UNC Friday afternoon, relying on six different goalscorers in its ACC-opening 13-9 defeat. Eli Schwartz | Asst. Photo Editor
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Syracuse didn’t perform how Regy Thorpe envisioned in its season-opening loss to Maryland last weekend. It wasn’t the way his first season in charge was supposed to start.
But that’s what’s so great about lacrosse. Each week presents an opportunity to bounce back, and there was no greater one than what the Orange were dealt Friday.
Led by 2025 Tewaaraton Award winner Chloe Humphrey, No. 1 North Carolina regularly proves why it’s one of the sport’s greatest programs. As they’d done for their 23 previous games, the Tar Heels walked away with a win, controlling Syracuse late after a shockingly quiet start.
Here are some observations from No. 14 Syracuse’s (0-2, 0-1 Atlantic Coast) 13-9 loss to No. 1 North Carolina (2-0, 1-0 ACC):
Deja vu on the draw
Last season, Meghan Rode was set to fill the vacancy Kate Mashewske left behind on the draw control. But she struggled immensely, causing the Orange to rotate between Joely Caramelli, Mileena Cotter and Alexa Vogelman.
This year, it was supposed to be Molly Guzik’s turn. Guzik helped SU stay level with Maryland in its season opener, but against UNC, it was a different story. The sophomore midfielder lost the first three draws, allowing the Tar Heels to instantly go ahead 1-0.
Although the Orange built up a 3-1 lead by the first quarter’s end, North Carolina held a 4-1 advantage on the draw. It became deja vu for SU, which continued its search for its everyday specialist Friday.
After Guzik’s blunders, Caramelli stepped in at the center circle. She came away with her first try of the game, setting Caroline Trinkaus up for a go-ahead goal early in the second quarter, before winning two of the next three, guiding Syracuse into halftime ahead 6-5.
Caramelli’s success should’ve been enough to keep her on the draw, but Thorpe went back to Guzik, who lost her first opportunity of the half, which allowed UNC to reclaim its lead. However, she found a slight rhythm later in the half, keeping SU in range until North Carolina’s lead grew to three with eight minutes to go.
Guzik showed early Friday that the specialist role is still up for grabs, and Caramelli might just take it. Nevertheless, the two did enough to keep Syracuse in striking distance in what was expected to be a blowout.
Keeping Chloe quiet
There’s no better player in women’s college lacrosse than Humphrey. In 2025, she became the first freshman ever to be named a Tewaaraton Award finalist, let alone win it, and scored a hat trick in 18 of UNC’s 22 games last year. She’s likely the Tewaaraton Award favorite this season, too, and when it’s all said and done, could end her career as one of the greatest players ever.
She’s rarely held quiet. Early on Friday, she was.
Humphrey tried three shots on SU goalie Daniella Guyette in the first quarter, but didn’t score. She similarly struggled against the Orange in 2025, recording just two goals and one assist in UNC’s 16-8 win last season.
But as Friday’s game continued, Humphrey became more involved. She earned her first point of the game by assisting Kiley Mottice five minutes into the second quarter, which tied the Tar Heels up at 3-3. She then added a goal less than three minutes later to match Caroline Trinkaus’ go-ahead goal.
Kaci Benoit and Coco Vandiver — Syracuse’s primary defenders — made it clear Wednesday that Humphrey is dangerous, but she’s not unstoppable. At the time, it looked like a statement they might have trouble backing up. Yet, Humphrey entered halftime with one goal on seven shots, a large reason North Carolina trailed 6-5.
Humphrey ignited early in the second half, erasing SU’s one-goal lead just over a minute in with her own score, while Caroline Godine scored 56 seconds later to give back UNC’s lead.
While both squads traded scores until midway through the fourth, Humphrey handed the Tar Heels their first multi-goal lead with 9:27 to go, and Syracuse never found its footing to mount a comeback. But Humphrey had the potential to take over the game, and she really never did.
Goalie disparity
North Carolina has arguably the best offense and defense in college lacrosse. But its success starts in the back, where 5-foot-5 sophomore Betty Nelson stands upright in the net. One hundred yards away from her is the 5-foot-6 Guyette. Nelson’s in a league of her own, while Guyette, in her senior year, has one last chance to reach that level.
Against all odds, though, Guyette was the one who couldn’t be beat Friday. Her 14 saves far exceeded Nelson’s four, while she masterfully stopped five free-position opportunities. Nelson, on the other hand, entered the second half with no saves on six shots.
The third quarter is when Guyette shone brightest, though. Faced with 11 shots in the 15-minute quadrant, Guyette notched five saves. She stopped both of UNC’s free position chances, giving the Orange a much-needed possession to start the fourth quarter.
UNC outshot Syracuse 12-7 in the final frame as its lead grew to as much as four, all but ending SU’s hope at a comeback. But Guyette, who said she was caught by surprise against Maryland, looked comfortable against the nation’s best offense, an encouraging sign moving forward.
Brink of history
Last weekend, the Orange’s loss to Maryland signaled what could be an underwhelming first season under Thorpe. On Friday, Syracuse showed potential to trend upward. Yes, a loss is a loss, but there’s no team as dominant as North Carolina that the Orange will face this year.
They got their entire offense involved, with six players finding the back of the net, and showed stability on defense by causing 11 UNC turnovers. They entered halftime with an unexpected lead and, despite getting outshot 41-20, made Nelson’s life look like a nightmare at times.
Unranked Colorado drew attention this past week after handing No. 2 Northwestern, the 2025 national runner-ups, its first loss of the season. It proved that history can be made at any moment, and Syracuse was on the verge of making more Friday.
SU has plenty of questions to answer, and its gauntlet of a schedule won’t do it any favors in the future. The Orange take on No. 5 Stanford and No. 18 Loyola before finally facing their first unranked opponent of the year, Louisville.
But regardless of what the scoreboard says, a four-goal loss to the defending national champions and best team in Division I is a convincing sign of progression.
