Syracuse is Headed Back to Championship Weekend

Saturday, May 16

Hempstead, N.Y.

2:30 p.m.

Syracuse University

#4/#6 North Carolina

5/16/2026 5:34:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Highlights Postgame Notes

Seniors deliver in biggest moments to lift 'Cuse to second-straight Memorial Day Weekend

Third time is the charm for No. 6 seeded Syracuse men's lacrosse! The Orange avenged two losses earlier this season to No. 3 seeded North Carolina to defeat the Tar Heels 13-11 in the NCAA Quarterfinals and reach Championship Weekend in back-to-back seasons.

The vaunted Syracuse senior class delivered in the biggest moments, as Joey Spallina (3-3), Finn Thomson (3-0), Luke Rhoa (2-1) and Michael Leo (1-0) combined for 13 points. The senior laden defense also held Carolina to just five goals after halftime.

Syracuse also got a heroic performance from John Mullen at the faceoff X, winning 13-of-24 faceoffs against All-American Brady Wambach, holding the Carolina star under 50-percent for the first time since his freshman season, also adding two goals himself. Jimmy McCool also continued his stellar postseason, making 12 saves on the 23 shots he saw on cage.

It's Syracuse's first back-to-back trip to Championship Weekend since the 2008-09 seasons. After falling behind by four goals in the second quarter, Syracuse rallied to score nine of the game's final-16 goals, out-scoring UNC 8-5 after halftime to return to the national semifinals.

The first quarter was a defensive battle with neither squad finding the back of the net for the first 14 minutes of action. After a costly failed clear, Carolina finally broke through in an unsettled situation. Longpole Peter Thomann buried a step-down shot off a feed from Leif Hagerup.

Mullen only let the Tar Heels keep the lead for six second though, after winning a faceoff out to himself, he went right to cage and evened the score at one apiece to end the frame. McCool made four saves in the first period and Mullen won all-three faceoff attempts.

Scoring started picking up in the second. Anthony Raio and Ty English scored back-to-back Tar Heel goals in less than 90 seconds to take a 3-1 lead five minutes into the period.

Spallina setup Bogue Hahn for the a goal at the 8:55 mark, but Wambach scored eight seconds later off a fortuitous bounce. After a Carolina shot ricocheted off the crossbar, Wambach collected it with a wide-open net to finish. Raio then tallied his second of the day and Brevin Wilson completed a three-goal run with a goal to open a 6-2 lead with 5:01 left before halftime.

Rhoa ended the run by finishing a feed from Spallina and just eight seconds later, Mullen scored again off another faceoff win to pull 'Cuse within two. Thomson closed the half with the Orange's third-straight goal, off Spallina's third assist of the frame, to head to the third quarter trailing 6-5.

Spallina got on the board himself less than a minute into the second half, before Wyatt Hottle gave the Orange their first lead a minute later. Michael Leo notched his first of the day to complete a six-goal run.

Wilson finally halted the run ending a nearly 15 minute scoring drought for Carolina. Thomson answered right back less than two minutes later though to maintain the two-goal advantage.

James Matan found the back of the net for North Carolina to send the teams to a pivotal fourth quarter with Syracuse leading 9-8.

Rhoa tallied the fourth quarter's first goal on the opening possession. Owen Duffy pulled the Heels back to within one on the next possession. Pietramala then capitalized on a Syracuse turnover with 10:21 left in regulation to tie the game at 10.

Who else but a pair from Syracuse's touted senior class to come up big at a crucial moment. Defender Billy Dwan delivered a prayer of a pass falling out of bounds right on the stick of Dante Bowen, who swung it to Spallina for a step-down finish to retake the lead.

Fellow seniors Thomson and Rhoa connected to push the lead back to two, as Rhoa found Thomson for his third of the afternoon. Spallina then added another to get a hat trick of his own.

Pietramala scored on a feed from Duffy to pull within two with 2:10 to play and Carolina won the ensuing faceoff, but McCool and the Orange defense held strong to send the team back to Championship Weekend for the second-straight season.

'Cuse will face No. 2 seed Notre Dame on Saturday, May 23 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. Time will be announced after Sunday's quarterfinals conclude.