'Cuse Rally Falls Short Against No. 3 Notre Dame

Saturday, April 1

Syracuse, N.Y.

2 p.m.

Syracuse University

6-5, 0-3ACC

Notre Dame

7-1, 1-1ACC

Notre Dame

Syracuse

'Cuse Rally Falls Short Against No. 3 Notre Dame

4/1/2023 4:14:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University men's lacrosse put together a valiant effort against No. 3 Notre Dame, bouncing back from a slow start but ultimately falling 20-12 on Saturday. Syracuse erased a six-goal deficit in the first half, taking a lead in the fourth but could not finish the upset at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse (6-5, 0-3 ACC) was paced by Cole Kirst, who finished senior day with four points on two goals and two assists. Alex Simmons contributed a hat trick while Joey Spallina continued to move up the freshman charts with a goal and an assist. Will Mark made 12 saves in the effort.

No. 3 Notre Dame (7-1, 1-1 ACC) broke the game open with a 9-1 fourth quarter. 'Cuse looked to take a 13-11 lead, but a goal was waved off after Notre Dame netminder Liam Entenmann, who made 10 saves on the day, had possession of the ball. Despite his crosse going over the goal line, it was ruled no goal. Notre Dame scored its nine-goal ruin over the final 12 minutes of the game.

How it Happened

Notre Dame took control early with a 5-0 run in the first 10 minutes of the game. Spallina snapped the drought for Syracuse, striking at 3:08 of the quarter. Owen Hiltz pulled the Orange back to a 5-2 deficit as Saam Olexo hit the attackman in transition for a low-to-high shot. Notre Dame scored with six seconds left in the quarter for a 6-2 lead after 15 minutes.
The Fighting Irish carried the small run over to the second quarter with two more strikes to an 8-2 lead.
But the Orange tallied five of the game's next six goals behind tallies from Michael Leo and Kirst, followed by two man-up strikes from Jackson Birtwistle and Alex Simmons, respectively. Simmons scored the final goal of the opening half, cutting the deficit to 9-7.
Notre Dame reextended its lead with two strikes in the first two minutes of the second half, setting up a five-goal run for the Orange. Hiltz hit for another power-play goal with 12:14 to go in the third before Finn Thomson, Simmons and Olexo scored in succession. Olexo's goal was a huge momentum swing, first causing the turnover, getting the ground ball and working with Kirst for a give-and-go just 10 yards from the goal, tying the action at 11-11 midway through the third.
Opening the final frame, Kirst put the Orange on top for the first time all day, going to a 12-11 lead with his 15 goal of the year. But the would-be goal shifted the field towards Notre Dame's end for the 9-0 run that sealed Syracuse's fate.

Behind the Numbers

Spallina moved up in the freshman scoring records, getting his 28th goal of the year, tying him with Tim O'Hara (1977) in eighth for a 'Cuse freshman. His assist was the 20th of the year, locking him in a tie for seventh with Barry Powless (1976) while his 48th point drew him even with Hiltz's rookie season (2021) and ninth place.
Kirst logged his second four-point game of the season while extending a point streak to 10 games.
Simmons logged his 13th career hat trick and second since joining the Orange this season.
Mark overcame a slow start, finishing with 12 saves, including seven in the second half. Shots were nearly even with Notre Dame taking 45 while the 'Cuse uncorked 43. The Irish took 16 in the fourth quarter alone.
In a clash of two of the best man-up units in the country, Syracuse converted on three of its four chances while the Irish managed one goal on two power plays. Notre Dame was hit with four penalties for three minutes while the Orange had three penalties for three and a half minutes.
Syracuse's ride was effective, forcing four Notre Dame transition turnovers. The Orange cleared on 16 of 18 qualifying chances.

Up Next for Syracuse

The Orange hit the road for the remainder of the season, leading off next Saturday at No. 18 Princeton.
Game time at Class of 1952 Stadium is set for noon on NBC Sports Philly/SNY.
TK99 and WAER will have the call as well.
Tickets can be found at goprincetontigers.com/tickets