Syracuse University announced on May 20 that its men’s lacrosse team will face No. 2 seed Notre Dame in the NCAA Division I semifinals on Saturday, May 23, in Charlottesville, Virginia. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
This matchup marks Syracuse’s second consecutive appearance at Championship Weekend, making it the only team among the final four to return from last year. The Orange previously faced Notre Dame this season, with the Fighting Irish winning 16-11 after a close contest marked by six ties and seven lead changes.
In their quarterfinal match, sixth-seeded Syracuse defeated No. 4 North Carolina by a score of 13-11 at Shuart Stadium. John Mullen contributed significantly with a strong performance at faceoff, while Joey Spallina led the team offensively with three goals and three assists. Other key contributors included Luke Rhoa, Wyatt Hottle, and Finn Thomson.
Notre Dame reached the semifinals after defeating Johns Hopkins by outscoring them in the second half to break open a tie game at halftime. Both teams are familiar with high-stakes competition; Syracuse has played nine games against tournament teams this season—more than most other programs in this year’s field—and holds a record of one win and two losses against Princeton, Duke, and Notre Dame during regular-season play.
Family connections are notable within the Syracuse roster as nine current players have relatives who previously competed or managed at Championship Weekend events across several decades. This includes multiple NCAA championships among parents of current athletes.
A win on Saturday would advance Syracuse to its first national championship appearance since 2013 and improve its all-time tournament record against Notre Dame to three wins without a loss.
