College Search
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
College Search
In a game that felt as much about the future of the program as the present bracket, Syracuse University men’s lacrosse turned a familiar opponent into the signature win of its resurgence. On May 16, 2026, at James M. Shuart Stadium on the campus of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, the sixth-seeded Orange erased a four-goal second-quarter deficit to defeat third-seeded North Carolina 13–11 in the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse quarterfinals.
The comeback victory lifted Syracuse to 13–5 on the season, snapped a two-year drought against the Tar Heels, and sent the Orange to their second straight Championship Weekend. It also delivered something even more meaningful: the program’s first back-to-back national semifinal appearances since 2008–09, a tangible marker that Syracuse is firmly back among men’s lacrosse’s elite under head coach Gary Gait.
Coming into the quarterfinal, recent history tilted heavily toward North Carolina. The Tar Heels had already beaten Syracuse twice in 2026: a 14–9 decision in the regular season and a tight 12–10 win in the ACC tournament semifinals. Those results were part of a broader trend, as Syracuse had not beaten North Carolina in more than two years.
On Long Island, in front of 10,244 fans in a crowd that leaned Orange, that narrative finally shifted. This time, the critical swings went Syracuse’s way, particularly in areas that had been problem spots in previous meetings.
The opening quarter set the tone as a defensive and possession-based chess match. Neither team found the net for nearly 14 minutes, with both defenses forcing long possessions and contested looks. North Carolina finally broke through when long-stick defender Peter Thomann scored off a feed from Leif Hagerup with 1:03 left in the first quarter, a rare push in transition from the defensive end.
Instead of letting UNC’s breakthrough spark a run, Syracuse answered instantly. Junior faceoff specialist John Mullen won the ensuing draw cleanly, sprinted straight down the alley, and scored just six seconds later to tie the game at 1–1. It was a foreshadowing of the game within the game that would come to define the afternoon.
The second quarter initially looked like it might bury Syracuse. North Carolina opened the frame with a decisive 5–1 run, stretching the lead to 6–2, the largest margin for either team all day.
Midfielder Anthony Raio struck twice during the Tar Heels’ surge, while Ty English and attackman Brevin Wilson added goals of their own. When Wilson capped the run with 5:01 left in the half, Syracuse was staring at a four-goal deficit against a team that had already beaten it twice. For a program trying to prove it was fully back on the national stage, this was the hinge point.
What followed may be remembered as the sequence that defined Syracuse’s 2026 postseason. The Orange settled behind their experienced attack unit, with senior star Joey Spallina orchestrating from behind the cage.
In a span of a few minutes, Syracuse had turned a dangerous 6–2 hole into a manageable 6–5 game at the break, swinging momentum and belief to its sideline.
Syracuse’s momentum did not stop in the locker room. The Orange opened the third quarter the way they ended the second: attacking decisively and dictating tempo.
Spallina, who had been piling up assists, finally notched his first goal of the afternoon less than a minute into the half to tie the game at 6–6. Midfielder Wyatt Hottle followed with a go-ahead strike, giving Syracuse its first lead. When midfielder Michael Leo scored soon after, the Orange had strung together six unanswered goals spanning the second and third quarters, flipping a 6–2 deficit into an 8–6 advantage.
North Carolina briefly halted the run with a man-up tally from Wilson, demonstrating that the Tar Heels were not going away quietly. But Thomson answered with his second goal of the game to restore a two-goal cushion. A late goal from UNC’s James Matan trimmed the margin to 9–8 heading into the fourth quarter, setting up a tense, possession-by-possession final 15 minutes.
The fourth quarter showcased why this version of Syracuse is built for late May. Every possession mattered, and the Orange found answers in every phase.
Rhoa opened the quarter with a goal on the first Syracuse possession, pushing the lead to 10–8. The Tar Heels responded in kind through Owen Duffy and then Dominic Pietramala, tying the contest at 10–10 with just over 10 minutes remaining. With season-ending pressure hanging over each trip down the field, the game came down to execution in chaos.
The decisive moment arrived on an unsettled play along the sideline. Senior defender Billy Dwan, falling out of bounds and seemingly out of options, managed to float a pass back into the field of play to short-stick defensive midfielder Dante Bowen. Bowen quickly moved the ball to Spallina, who stepped into space and ripped a step-down shot to put Syracuse back in front 11–10.
That play highlighted the collective poise and awareness Syracuse has built under Gait: a defender keeping a play alive, a short-stick making the right read under pressure, and an All-American-caliber attackman finishing a high-leverage chance.
Thomson followed with his third goal of the game, assisted by Rhoa, to extend the lead to 12–10. Mullen then won yet another critical faceoff, and Syracuse converted quickly, with Spallina completing his hat trick to make it 13–10. Pietramala’s second goal cut the margin to 13–11 with just over two minutes remaining, but the Orange defense and goalkeeper Jimmy McCool closed the door the rest of the way.
On paper, the margins were slim but telling. Syracuse won 14 of 27 faceoffs and collected 39 ground balls to North Carolina’s 30. Those narrow advantages added up over four quarters and were powered by standout individual performances.
Spallina led all scorers with six points on three goals and three assists, but the box score only scratches the surface of his impact. During Syracuse’s late second-quarter surge, Spallina delivered the assist on Thomson’s goal that moved him past Tim Nelson atop Syracuse’s career assists chart, reaching 188 and extending his status as the program’s career points leader.
For context, Syracuse’s men’s lacrosse history is littered with legendary offensive talents, from the Gait brothers to Casey Powell. Surpassing Nelson’s long-standing assist record cements Spallina’s place alongside those names and underscores how fully he has embraced the dual role of scorer and facilitator in Gait’s offense. According to Syracuse’s official recap, the record-breaker only added to his growing reputation as one of the most productive attackmen in college lacrosse history.
The Long Island setting added another layer: playing at Shuart Stadium where he grew up attending games, Spallina improved to 3–0 in his college career at the venue. For recruits paying attention, it is an illustration of what it looks like when a local product chooses a historically elite program and then helps carry it back to Championship Weekend.
If Spallina was the headliner, Mullen was the pivot point. In the teams’ earlier meetings during the season, North Carolina’s All-American faceoff specialist Brady Wambach had controlled the X, giving the Tar Heels a possession advantage that Syracuse struggled to overcome.
In Hempstead, that storyline flipped. Mullen went 13-for-24 at the faceoff X, holding Wambach under 50 percent and giving Syracuse a slight but crucial edge on possessions. His two goals directly off faceoff wins were momentum-changers, especially his instant response after North Carolina’s first goal.
Those plays not only provided immediate offense, they also signaled to Syracuse’s sideline that this quarterfinal would not follow the script of earlier losses. As USA Lacrosse Magazine detailed, Mullen’s ability to neutralize one of the nation’s top specialists was a foundational reason the Orange are heading back to the Final Four.
Beyond Spallina and Mullen, Syracuse showed the type of balanced scoring that makes an offense hard to game plan for in May:
On the back end, senior goalkeeper Jimmy McCool finished with 12 saves on 23 shots on goal. While the numbers are solid on their own, his situational performance elevated his impact. A key stop in the final minute effectively sealed the win and sent the Orange bench into early celebration mode.
For recruits and families watching from afar, McCool’s day is a reminder of how critical goaltending is at the Division I level. A goalie does not always need a gaudy save total to define a game; a handful of stops in the right moments can change a season.
Beyond the box score, this quarterfinal mirrored the broader trajectory of Syracuse University men’s lacrosse under head coach Gary Gait. Once the standard in college lacrosse, the program had endured a rebuilding stretch before Gait took over.
Early in his tenure, Syracuse absorbed a 4–10 season that underscored how far it had to climb back to national contention. Since then, the arc has steadily bent upward: from rebuilding season to quarterfinal breakthrough and, now, to consecutive trips to Championship Weekend.
The 13–11 win over North Carolina marked Syracuse’s 29th appearance in the national semifinals, reaffirming its place among the sport’s blue bloods. For context, only a handful of programs in NCAA men’s lacrosse history have sustained that level of consistency over decades, including powerhouses like Johns Hopkins, Maryland, and Virginia. Data from the NCAA’s historical records show that very few programs reach even double-digit semifinal appearances, which puts Syracuse’s total in rare air (NCAA.com men’s lacrosse history).
Under Gait, those numbers are no longer just historical talking points. They are becoming present-tense expectations again. With stars like Spallina setting program records and role players like Mullen, Thomson, Rhoa, and McCool thriving in high-pressure games, Syracuse is building the type of roster depth that typically defines long-term contenders.
The reward for surviving North Carolina is another heavyweight: second-seeded Notre Dame in the national semifinals at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville. Syracuse will be playing for its first NCAA championship game berth since 2013 and a chance to add another chapter to its storied history.
For recruits, parents, and high school coaches watching, this matchup offers a clear view of modern Division I men’s lacrosse at its highest level. Both programs recruit nationally, emphasize advanced offensive and defensive systems, and lean heavily on player development from freshman year through veteran leadership seasons.
Whether Syracuse’s run continues or not, back-to-back Final Four appearances send a clear message on the recruiting trail: the Orange are again a program where elite talent can compete for national titles, set records, and play on Memorial Day weekend.
For athletes who dream of playing in games like this, the 2026 quarterfinal offers several lessons about what matters most at the next level:
If you are considering a future in college lacrosse, it helps to look closely at rosters, playing styles, and development paths across multiple programs, not just the final scoreboard. Tools like the Pathley Lacrosse Hub and the broader Pathley College Directory make it easier to compare programs, understand their histories, and find realistic targets for your academic and athletic profile.
While Syracuse’s run to Championship Weekend grabs the national headlines, the region around Syracuse also offers additional collegiate lacrosse pathways that may better fit different academic or competitive priorities.
One nearby option is Le Moyne College, also located in Syracuse, New York. Historically a strong lacrosse school, Le Moyne provides a different campus environment and competitive profile while still offering high-level play and a tight-knit community. For student-athletes who like the idea of the Syracuse area but want different class sizes, campus culture, or roster dynamics, comparing these local options can be valuable.
Using tools like Pathley’s College Fit Snapshot can help families quickly see how their academic record, athletic skills, and campus preferences line up with programs ranging from national powers like Syracuse to strong regional contenders like Le Moyne.
If watching Syracuse return to the Final Four has you thinking about your own path to college lacrosse, the next step is not trying to “get recruited by Syracuse” in isolation. It is building a clear, realistic recruiting strategy that matches your current level, potential, academics, and financial priorities.
Pathley is designed specifically for that challenge. With the Pathley Chat recruiting assistant, you can describe your position, graduation year, and goals and get personalized suggestions for colleges to research further. You can also:
Whether you dream of competing on Championship Weekend or simply want to find a campus where you can contribute and grow, starting early and using data-driven tools can make the process less overwhelming and more intentional.
The 2026 NCAA quarterfinal between Syracuse and North Carolina will be remembered as a classic: a four-goal comeback, a record-setting star, a faceoff specialist flipping a rivalry, and a blue-blood program fully reclaiming its place on Memorial Day weekend. For the next generation of recruits, it is also a roadmap for what is possible when the right player, the right coach, and the right program come together at the right time.
