'Cuse Hosts Navy in Pre-ACC Tournament Tune Up

#9 Syracuse vs. #16 Navy
Game Details	Saturday, April 21 \| Carrier Dome \| 2 p.m.
Game Coverage	Live Coverage: Stats Watch: ACC Network Extra Listen: Cuse.com\| Tk99/105 \| Syracuse IMG Sports Network \| WAER Tickets: BUY \| walk-ups welcome! Twitter: @CuseMLAX Instagram: @CuseMLAX Facebook: /CuseMLAX
Syracuse Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule
Navy Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule

THE GAME
- Syracuse hosts Navy in a rematch of the 2004 NCAA Championship game, in what will be the Orange's final test before next week's ACC Tournament.
- The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra with Evan Stockton and Ryan Powell calling the game. Brian Higgins and Kyle Fetterly will call the action on TK99/105, Cuse.com and the TuneIn App, while Connor Federico, James Colgan and Anthony Mazzini will broadcast the game for WAER.

FAN INFO
- Saturday's game is Military Appreciation Day, with all active duty military and veterans able to purchase $2 tickets with valid ID at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).
- Fans will receive a keychain upon entering, while supplies last.

THE NAVY SERIES
- This is the first regular season matchup with Navy since the 1983 season, and the Midshipmen's first trip to the Carrier Dome since the 1989 NCAA Tournament.
- Last time that 'Cuse and Navy met, Syracuse won 14-13 in the NCAA Championship game in 2004.
- The game is head coach John Desko's only game against the Mids as a head coach. As an assistant coach, Desko is 6-1 against Navy. He was 0-3 as a player.

FAMILY FEUD
- Syracuse faceoff specialist Danny Varello will see a familiar face opposite him on Saturday as he faces off against older brother Joe.
- Navy senior Joe Varello has won nearly 60-percent of his faceoffs this season
- Both faceoff specialists are the primary option for their respective program.

'CUSE WINS 900th GAME
- Syracuse became the second program in NCAA Divsion I lacrosse history to win 900 games last Saturday.
- Johns Hopkins (979), Syracuse (902) and Maryland (818) are the only three programs with 800 or more wins. Navy is 4 from the plateau and Army is 14.
- There are six other programs in the 700 win club, Johns Hopkins (979), Maryland (818), Navy (797), Army (786), Hobart (767) and Cornell (755). All but the Terps appear on the Orange's 2018 schedule.

CLINCHED
- Syracuse has clinched the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament and outright ACC regular season title.
- This will be the second-straight season the Orange are the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament.
- Since joining a conference for the first time in 2010, Syracuse has won nine titles (either regular season or conference tournament) in nine seasons.

CONFERENCE KINGS
- After last Saturday's win over North Carolina, Syracuse has now extended its winning streak in regular season conference games to nine.
- 'Cuse is 4-0 in league play this season and swept the conference last year. The last time the Orange lost was against Notre Dame in the 2016 season. The streak is the second-longest nationally, trailing only Denver's 25-game conference winning streak dating back to 2013.
- Since joining the ACC in 2014, Syracuse is 14-7 in regular season conference play.

A WIN AGAINST NAVY WOULD...
- Be the program's 903rd victory, second all-time behind Johns Hopkins.
- Improve SU's record to 57-18 since the start of the 2014 season
- Give John Desko his 244th career coaching win, fifth among active Division I coaches and move him into sole possession for 23rd all-time at the NCAA Division I level.

DOMINANT DOWNERS
- The Syracuse man-down unit entered the game against Notre Dame ranked 59th of 68th nationally, before coming away with an 8-for-8 performance in Saturday's win over Notre Dame and went another 3-for-3 against Hobart, killing 11-straight penalties against them. The Orange killed 1-of-2 against Cornell and 3-of-4 against UNC, making them 15 of their last-17.
- The Orange have risen to 29th overall in the nation (.683) in man-down defense after the four games.
- The 8-for-8 performance is the best in head coach John Desko's 20-year tenure at the helm of the program.

CARDIAC 'CUSE 2.0
- After setting the program record for one-goal games last year at 11, the Orange have already picked up with it again in 2018.
- 15 of Syracuse's last-26 games have now been decided by one goal.
- 'Cuse has been widely successful in those matchups as well, winning 13 of the 15 one-goal games.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
- Syracuse finished the 2017 season 9-2 against the non-conference slate and opened this year 3-4.
- Since joining the ACC, the Orange is 37-10 versus non-conference opponents, including a 33-7 mark in regular-season, non-league contests.

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Players Mentioned

Danny Varello

Syracuse University Athletics