Princeton University Athletics
Orange Crushed
May 29, 2000 | Men's Lacrosse
May 29, 2000
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Liam Banks scored six goals and Ryan Powell recorded six points to lead the top-ranked Syracuse Orangemen to a 13-7 victory over Princeton in the NCAA men's lacrosse national championship game in front of 22,880 fans at Byrd Stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland. The loss was Princeton's first ever in NCAA championship games (5-1).
The Orangemen, who defeated Princeton 16-4 at Class of 1952 Stadium earlier this season and knocked the Tigers out of the NCAA tournament last year, jumped out to a 4-0 lead with 2:39 remaining in the first quarter. Banks scored two of his six goals in the opening quarter while Powell and Josh Coffman supplied the other goals.
After Princeton killed off a three-minute extra-man opportunity for an illegal stick at the beginning of the second quarter, Syracuse built its lead with two more goals. The Tigers finally got on the board with 6:07 remaining in the second quarter on an unassisted goal by Sean Hartofilis. Goals by Owen Daly and Rob Torti kept the Tigers close at halftime 7-3. Determined not to allow Princeton its second dramatic rally in three days, the Orangemen jumped all over the Tigers to open the third quarter. Banks scored twice within the first three minutes to give Syracuse a 9-3 lead and a secure grasp of momentum. Despite late goals in the quarter by Josh Sims and Brendan Tierney, the Tigers still trailed by six goals heading into the final quarter. Sims and Matt Striebel scored goals in the final quarter, but the Syracuse lead was never in jeopardy.
Banks' six goals ties him for second-most in an NCAA championship game. He was named Final Four MVP after helping Syracuse clinch its seventh NCAA title overall and first since 1995.
Princeton ends its 2000 season with a 12-3 record. Since 1992, the Tigers, who won five championships over the last eight years, are 16-0 against all other teams in the NCAA tournament and 3-4 against Syracuse.