Hopkins Takes Down 'Cuse in Back-and-Forth Battle

Saturday, March 11

Syracuse, N.Y.

4 p.m.

Syracuse University

3-4

Johns Hopkins

5-3

Johns Hopkins

Syracuse

Hopkins Takes Down 'Cuse in Back-and-Forth Battle

3/11/2023 6:26:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score Highlights Box Score

On a day that Syracuse retired one of the greatest players in lacrosse history's jersey, the sport's two winningest programs played a back-and-forth battle in the JMA Wireless Dome that came down to the final moments.

Ultimately, 'Cuse (3-4) was unable to take down No. 11 Johns Hopkins (5-2), falling 11-9 in a game that featured nine ties and five lead changes.

Syracuse had plenty of offensive chances, but Blue Jays' netminder Tim Marcille made a game-high 21 saves to thwart Syracuse's offense.

Joey Spallina (1-3) and Owen Hiltz (3-1) led the team with four points each, while Finn Thompson (2-1) and Michael Leo (2-0) notched multi-goal efforts as well.

Goalie Will Mark once again posted double-digit saves, making 12 stops in the loss. Caden Kol led the defensive unit with three caused turnovers.

Russell Melendez's three goals and Jacob Angelus' (1-3) four points led the Blue Jays' scoring effort, which came from eight different players.

The faceoff X ultimately ended up nearly even, with 'Cuse holding a 12-11 advantage in wins. Jack Fine (8-of-14) was the Orange's best performer on restarts.

The Orange highlight of the afternoon came when two-time Tewaaraton winner, two-time national champion and four time Turnbull Award winner Mike Powell had his No. 22 jersey permanently hung in the rafters in a halftime ceremony. He is the second men's lacrosse player to have their jersey retired, alongside current Orange coach Gary Gait's No. 22.

How it Happened
- The Orange scored twice in the first four minutes of action, as Cole Krist and Owen Hiltz each found the back of the net early for 'Cuse.
- Johns Hopkins answered with back-to-back goals of their own from Dylan Bauer and Garrett Degnon to even the score with 4:09 remaining in the first quarter.
- Joey Spallina closed the opening period with a man-up goal with 1:15 remaining to give 'Cuse a 3-2 lead after one.
- Three of the next four tallies came from the Blue Jays, with Degnon, Cameron Chauvette and Russell Melendez scoring to take their first lead of the game at 5-4 near the midway point of the second.
- Syracuse closed the half with two goals in the final 46 seconds. Hiltz scored to complete a first-half hat trick, followed by a highlight-reel behind-the-back goal from Finn Thompson off a feed from Joey Spallina that sent SU to the locker room with a 6-5 advantage.
- Out of the break, Melendez scored twice in the opening 3:11 of the half to regain the lead for Johns Hopkins.
- The pendulum swung back in favor of the Orange with Thompson and Michael Leo goals in succession.
- The Blue Jays' Jacob Angelus scored with 1:53 remaining in the third to once again knot the two teams heading into the fourth quarter at eight goals apiece.
- Leo scored his second, and the Orange's second man-up goal of the afternoon, with 11:19 remaining in regulation.
- Yet another two-goal run from Hopkins regained the Blue Jays' advantage with 4:55 to go at 10-9.

Up Next
The Orange return to the road for a Tuesday matchup with Hofstra in Hempstead, N.Y. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Lacrosse TV. The next home game will be on March 21 when St. Bonaventure visits the Dome. Tickets are available at Cuse.com/Tickets.