No. 5 Syracuse men’s lacrosse prevails 16-15 over No. 6 Duke in ACC opener

In a game that came down to the wire, No. 5 Syracuse opened ACC play with a statement 16–15 win over No. 6 Duke. It was an exciting matchup inside the JMA Wireless Dome, with an electric crowd and two of the nation’s top teams going head-to-head. 

The Blue Devils entered undefeated, boasting the nation’s top scoring offense at 17 goals per game and the second-best scoring defense, allowing just six. Duke had only faced one ranked opponent coming into the contest, compared to Syracuse’s eight. Despite what the stat sheet and record suggested, SU proved its ability once again.

The matchup lived up to the hype from the start, with both teams trading goals throughout a tight battle in which neither side led by more than two. In response to a collection of quick goals from the Orange in the first quarter, Duke adjusted by switching out starting goalkeeper Patrick Jameison for graduate student Henry Blake. 

Jameison has been the program’s starter for the past three years, but Blake answered when he was needed most. Although SU still put up 16 goals, the netminder collected six saves. Together, Jameison and Blake tallied 11 saves. 

A goalie can only do so much when Syracuse’s offense is working like a well-oiled machine. The Orange were collecting highlight reel plays, and the chemistry was flowing.

Senior midfielder Luke Rhoa, senior attacker Finn Thomson and sophomore attacker Payton Anderson all finished with hat tricks, and nine different players scored against Duke. 

SU’s dominant offensive showing stemmed from pristine shot selection. At the half, the Orange had 19 shots, 15 of which were on goal, and nine were converted into goals. 

Syracuse also capitalized on the extra-man opportunities, converting on three of six. Syracuse’s offense was essentially checking off every box, as reflected in the stats sheet.

SU superstar, senior attackman Joey Spallina, showed up big time against Duke, tallying six points, including two goals and four assists. Spallina showcased his effortless connection, setting up his teammates for insane behind-the-back and leaping goals. 

The senior didn’t fail to bring highlight moments of his own, scoring from all over the turf and surpassing the 300 career point mark. But Spallina cares more about the team’s accomplishments than his own.

“I’ll do whatever I have to do to help our team win,” Spallina said. “(Points) don’t really matter to me as long as we win at the end of the day.” 

A key reason for Syracuse’s win today was the controlled fourth quarter. In recent games, the Orange have allowed rapid scoring runs by opponents, only surviving because of an established lead.

When SU and Duke entered the fourth quarter with the Orange only up by one, the ‘Cuse needed to prevent a sloppy final frame, and it did just that. The Orange defense held the Blue Devils to two goals, their lowest scoring quarter of the game. To head coach Gary Gait, that effort stood out most.

“I’m proudest of the way we finished the game,” Gait said. “The last couple of games, we had a rough fourth quarter, and I thought we executed really well and finished that game. That was a disciplined Syracuse fourth quarter that didn’t give the game away.”

This first ACC win marks the start of a difficult conference stretch for the Orange. Four of the five ACC teams rank among the nation’s top six, which shows just how competitive the conference is.

The gauntlet of ACC play continues next week, when Syracuse heads to Chapel Hill to face No. 4 North Carolina on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.