Princeton Falls To Syracuse, Looks Ahead To Ivy Stretch Drive

Saturday, April 8

Princeton, N.J.

12:00 PM

Princeton University

4-5

Syracuse

7-5

Syracuse

Princeton

Jake Stevens, who had two goals, works against Syracuse's Brandon Aviles in the Orange's 16-13 win at Sherrerd Field.

Princeton Falls To Syracuse, Looks Ahead To Ivy Stretch Drive

April 08, 2023 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

There had been 28 goals already scored. Princeton had been behind pretty much the whole way, and yet now it was time for the fourth quarter and the Tigers were down by only two. It was anybody's game.

Less than one minute into the fourth quarter, Syracuse scored, pushing its lead back to three. So what, right? With the way goals had been coming, there was a long way to go. Would the next goal be big? That will never be known.

After 45-plus minutes of non-stop offense, both teams locked down the rest of the way. After neither team could score in the final 14:05, Syracuse had itself a 16-13 win in the renewal after 10 years of one of the most historic rivalries college lacrosse has known. The loss dropped Princeton to 4-5 on the year, but the Tigers are 2-1 in the Ivy League and three of two one-loss teams in the league, along with Harvard and Cornell. The regular season concludes with games at Dartmouth, home against Harvard and at Cornell before the top four teams meet at Columbia for the league tournament the first weekend of May.

Princeton and Syracuse met for the 30th time, and four of those prior meetings came in NCAA championship games, which the teams split. Princeton and Syracuse had combined to win every NCAA title between 1992 and 2004 except for 1999 and 2003, and Princeton's season ended with either an NCAA title or an NCAA loss to Syracuse every year from 1992 through 2003.

This game lacked the same stakes as those did, but it was special to see the teams on the same field against for the first time since 2013. Princeton's chance to win this one disappeared in the face of nine penalties, which Syracuse turned into four extra-man goals.

Syracuse scored first and went up 5-1 in the first quarter, but Princeton never went away. No matter what the Tigers did, though, they just couldn't tie it up. The closest they came was 10-9 late in the second quarter, but the Orange answered with two big goals to go up 12-9 at the break. It was also a 15-13 game at the end of the third, and even after Finn Thomson scored 55 seconds in the fourth quarter, there was plenty of time left.

Or was there? Neither team would score again, as none of the final 20 shots of the game went in.

Syracuse freshman attackman Joey Spallina was as advertised, with four goals and five assists, and his nine points were a career-high and the fourth-best total for a Syracuse freshman ever.

Princeton was led offensively again by Coulter Mackesy, who had three more goals and three more assists. Alexander Vardaro, who went over the 100 point mark for his career last week, had two goals and two assists, and Jack Ringhofer had two goals and one assist for his first career three-point day.

Jake Stevens and Sean Cameron had two goals each, and Alex Slusher returned from his injury that caused him to miss the last two games to have one goal. Cathal Roberts had four caused turnovers, pushing his team lead to 14.

Michael Gianforcaro made 15 saves, and Syracuse's Will Mark made 17.