Orange End Preseason vs. #5 Yale

Nate Solomon and Tucker Dordevic each scored twice, while Nick Mellen held 2017 Tewaaraton Award Finalist Ben Reeves to just one goal, to highlight a difficult final preseason test for the No. 10 Syracuse men's lacrosse team.

After a back-and-forth game for the majority, No. 5 Yale pulled away late to leave Syracuse with a 13-8 victory.

Hear the initial thoughts from Coach Desko after the Orange fall to #5 Yale in the preseason finale pic.twitter.com/EItN3WpjQP
— Syracuse Lacrosse (@CuseMLAX) February 4, 2018

Despite the outcome, goaltending and defense led the Orange on Sunday. Senior Dom Madonna made 10 saves in three quarters, allowing eight of the Bulldogs' goals and Drake Porter stopped five of the 10 shots on cage he saw in the 20-minute fourth quarter.

After Jack Tigh opened the scoring on the opening possession, Solomon dodged his way to the cage for the equalizer midway through the first. The teams then closed out the quarter trading goals, as Brendan Curry delivered a hard blast into the back of the net for the Orange.

#5 Yale leads the Orange 3-2 after the first. Solomon and Curry with the 'Cuse goals pic.twitter.com/dujGbV48rS
— Syracuse Lacrosse (@CuseMLAX) February 4, 2018

Opening the second with a 3-2 lead, Yale got its first multi-goal lead on a goal from Tyler Warner in transition, while man-down. However, Syracuse answered right away. Dordevic notched his first of the day to pull 'Cuse back within one before Solomon's bounce shot found the back of the net to even things at four with 2:35 before halftime.

Reeves notched his only goal of the day with 21 seconds remaining in the second quarter to again give the Bulldogs the lead at the end of the frame. Yale then opened the third on a three-goal run, with Tigh, Brian Tevlin and John Daniggelis scoring to open an 8-4 lead.

Dordevic buried a hard shot from 15-yards out off a feed from Brendan Bomberry to close the third and pull Syracuse to within three before the start of the final period. Tyson Bomberry, Troy Lauder and Pat Carlin added goals in the fourth, with Owen Seebold and Brad McKinney notching assists, but the rest of the quarter was all Yale, ending the game with a 13-8 win.

At the X, Danny Varello won six of his 12 attempts, while Seth DeLisle won 7-of-10 draws in relief. Nick Martin also took three faceoffs, winning one.

Now, games will start to count. Syracuse hosts Binghamton on Saturday in the season opener, with faceoff set for 1 p.m.

Tickets for 2018 men's lacrosse games are now on sale, with fans having the opportunity to see five of the top-16 teams visit the Dome this year. Both season and individual game tickets are on sale now at the Cuse.com/Tickets, by calling 888-DOME-TIX or by visiting the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).

Season tickets remain the best value for 'Cuse fans, at a cost of $65 for adults and $35 for youth, fans will get to see all nine Syracuse home games from the reserved section behind the team bench.

New for 2018, parking prices have been reduced to $10 at all Carrier Dome surface lots. Individual game tickets start at $10 for adults and $5 for youth (12 and under) for six of the Orange's nine games (North Carolina, Navy, Binghamton, Army West Point, Hobart and Colgate). Ticket for the Orange's three premium games (Johns Hopkins, Albany and Notre Dame) cost $15 for adults and $10 for youth (12 and under) and students are free to all home games.