Syracuse lacrosse comes back from 5-goal 4th-quarter deficit to top Harvard in OT in NCAA tournament

Syracuse midfielder Payton Anderson (88) after his third quarter goal. The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse men’s lacrosse came back from a five-goal fourth-quarter deficit to author its biggest comeback of the season and down Harvard 13-12 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday evening at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse fo John Mullen (27) wins the face-off over Harvard fo Matt Barraco (29). The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

Owen Hiltz scored the game-winner on the first possession of overtime in what could have been the redshirt senior’s final game at SU.

Syracuse midfielder Michael Leo (7) gets hist from behinds. The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

Syracuse moves on to face No. 3 Princeton on Saturday at Hofstra.

The Crimson jumped out to a 7-1 advantage in the first half before the Orange mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback.

Harvard took a 11-6 lead with 10:59 remaining, but Syracuse responded with five-straight goals in the next 2:10, including three on an unreleasable man-up, to tie the game.

Michael Leo gave Syracuse its first lead of the game with a goal on a behind-the-back assist from Hiltz with 3:32 left, also on the man-up.

Syracuse fo John Mullen (27) winds up for a shot. The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

Then, with just 6 seconds left, Harvard’s Owen Gaffney scored the Crimson’s first goal in over 10 minutes to send the game to overtime.

Luke Rhoa paced Syracuse with four goals, and Trey Deere scored twice. Finn Thomson and Hiltz each added two assists.

Harvard held Syracuse to its lowest first-half offensive output of the season, with two Rhoa goals serving as the Orange’s only scoring while the Crimson opened up an 8-2 halftime lead.

Syracuse midfielder Michael Leo (7) is checked by Harvard midfielder Griffin Pokorny (9). The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

Harvard came into Sunday forcing 11.79 turnovers per game, most in the NCAA, and Syracuse committed a season-high 20, including 11 in the first half.

Goalie Jimmy McCool, who was benched against Harvard in February’s 15-14 loss to the Crimson, made just one save in the first half but allowed only four goals after halftime.

Syracuse got goals from Payton Anderson, Nick Caccamo and Joey Spallina to cut the deficit to 9-5 by the end of the third quarter and then exploded in the fourth quarter to take its first lead before Gaffney equalized in the final seconds.

The Orange lost three in a row to end the regular season, leaving it on the NCAA tournament bubble, but it responded by beating Notre Dame and Duke to win its first ACC tournament title since 2016.

The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

After missing the NCAA tournament in coach Gary Gait’s first two seasons in 2022-23, 2025 marks Syracuse’s second straight quarterfinal appearance.

The Orange beat Towson in the first round last year before losing to Denver, 10-8, in an NCAA quarterfinal game.

The Orange entered this season with high expectations and the No. 2 spot in Inside Lacrosse’s preseason poll. Syracuse easily won its first three games of the season before losing back-to-back mid-February contests to Maryland and Harvard.

Syracuse midfielder Sam English (15). The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

The Orange then won six in a row to set up a top-five meeting with No. 1 Cornell, but it lost that matchup and then dropped games against Duke and North Carolina to close the regular season before winning the ACC tournament.

Harvard, which entered Sunday’s game chasing its first NCAA tournament win since 1996, nearly became the first school to beat Syracuse at home twice in one season.

Fans celebrate the Orange overtime win. The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

SU moves on to face Princeton, where graduate student midfielder Sam English, who was drafted No. 3 overall in Tuesday’s PLL Draft, spent four years before transferring to Syracuse last year.

Syracuse defender Nick Caccamo (28) after third quarter goal. The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

Syracuse and Princeton have been playing each other for over 100 years and most recently met in 2023, a 16-13 road win for the Orange. They have also met in four NCAA title games, with Princeton taking overtime victories in 1992 and 2001 and Syracuse winning in 2000 and 2002.

The Syracuse Orange celebrate their overtime time wim over Harvard. The Syracuse men’s lacrosse team host Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Lacrosse Championship at the JMA Wireless Dome, May 11, 2025. Dennis Nett | [email protected]

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