Axe: Syracuse lacrosse digs into ‘play fast, have fun’ mantra during epic comeback: ‘This is what we live for’

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]

Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse University men’s lacrosse team orchestrated a stunning, 13-12 comeback win over Harvard in overtime in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday night at the JMA Wireless Dome because it just refused to stop having fun.

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]

In this case, we’re talking the kind of stubbornness on par with how The Joker laughs all the way through getting beat up by Batman in “The Dark Knight.”

Much of Sunday’s game was anything but fun for the Orange.

Syracuse was down by six goals at halftime, turning the ball over at will as if it was slathered in grease (collecting a season-high 20 giveaways on the night) and struggling with Harvard’s physical approach.

It was a call back to SU’s 15-14 loss to Harvard earlier this season when SU committed 15 turnovers, goaltender Jimmy McCool had an awful day (making just five saves) and the Crimson sucked the fun out of the building despite winning only four faceoffs.

With Syracuse trailing 8-2 at halftime on Sunday, not a frown could be found in the home locker room, and a message from senior leaders set the tone for the second half.

“We had Sam English and Caden Kol in the locker room kind of set us straight and told us that we’re good lacrosse players, that we’re a good team,” said SU attack Owen Hiltz, who delivered the winning goal in overtime. “This is what we live for.”

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]

The Orange outscored Harvard 3-1 in the third period to trail 9-5 entering the final frame.

Harvard scored two of the next three goals to take a 11-6 lead with 10:59 remaining in the game.

That’s when the fun really began for Syracuse.

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]

Luke Rhoa scored his third of a game-leading four goals to cut Harvard’s lead to 11-7 with 10:28 remaining.

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]

With 10:13 to go, Harvard’s Owen Guest committed a harsh cross-check penalty on SU’s Joey Spallina, giving the Orange a one-minute unreleasable man-up advantage.

Trey Deere scored twice and long pole Chuck Kuczynski moved twine on a goal to cut Harvard’s lead to 11-10 in an instant with 9:11 remaining.

Rhoa’s fourth goal, a rocket launched from 13 yards away, tied the game at 11 with 8:49 remaining.

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]

“Next play,” Syracuse coach Gary Gait said of his message to the Orange as it took down Harvard’s lead brick-by-brick. “Let’s get the next one. One stop at a time. One goal at a time. That’s all we talk about on the field. We got the next one.”

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]

With 3:32 to go and the Mother’s Day dome crowd of 5,109 in delirium, Michael Leo took a behind-the-back feed (speaking of fun) from Hiltz and gave Syracuse its first lead at 13-12.

Harvard briefly played party pooper with 6 seconds remaining, tying the game at 12 on a Owen Gaffney long-distance goal to send the game to overtime.

That’s when Hiltz called game, taking a feed from Spallina and bouncing a shot between the legs of Harvard goalie Graham Stevens 51 seconds into overtime to send Syracuse to the NCAA quarterfinals against Princeton at 2:30 p.m., Saturday at Hofstra University.

Senior defenseman Nick Caccamo runs across the field as the Syracuse Orange celebrate its overtime time win 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]

“Play fast, have fun,” Gait said. “That’s old-school Syracuse lacrosse. We dug into the history to bring back that have fun, play fast fourth quarter to come up with the win.”

“You look at your sideline in a game that’s not going your way at the start and all the boys are smiling,” said McCool, who struggled again against Harvard in making only five saves. “It makes you smile and makes you want to make that next play so much more.”

Syracuse’s comeback was fueled by the heat-seeking effort of face-off specialist John Mullen, who vacuumed up 24-of-28 draws at X.

Mullen won 28 faceoffs against Harvard in February, but SU offset that dominance with too many careless turnovers.

History was repeating itself until the fourth quarter, when SU started cashing Mullen’s wins into pay dirt.

“From the last time we played Harvard, his focus was keeping the ball every time we won a faceoff, giving us the opportunity to score a goal after every one,” Gait said. “He did that again [SUnday] and he did it exceptionally well. That made the difference.”

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’s epic win featured a number of lessons that came full circle when needed most.

SU had what amounted to a rehearsal for its comeback over the Crimson in a loss to North Carolina to end the regular season.

The Orange trailed UNC 14-8 with 3:09 remaining in that game but scored a flurry of goals at the end fueled by a string of face-off wins by Mullen.

SU lost 14-12 but fought to the bitter end and showed its ability to score in spurts like an avalanche gathering snow.

Gait has preached a message of “calm is contagious,” all year.

Players have preached the gospel of lacrosse being fun through winning streaks, losing skids and handling the pressure of being the No. 2 team in the nation in the preseason.

Senior defenseman Nick Caccamo runs across the field as the Syracuse Orange celebrates its overtime time win 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]

Lessons absorbed in overtime losses to Maryland, Army and Cornell last season that carried the Orange through this win were applied.

SU closed the deal in overtime for the first time since March 24, 2019, when it beat No. 2 Duke 9-8 at the dome.

“I think all those past games where we did lose but we just kept playing paid off today,” Gait said.

Syracuse’s win over Harvard, its 70th postseason victory in 100 NCAA tournament games, wrote a unique chapter in its rich history.

Now Syracuse has put itself in position for a 28th Final Four.

All SU has to do is beat historic rival Princeton, but there will be time to deal with the Tigers later.

For now, it’s time to savor a little history.

“Syracuse lacrosse is known for doing some spectacular things over the history of the program,” Gait said. “These guys [Sunday], that was as good as any of them, I thought.

“There’s been an awful lot of great teams that have won championships and done great things. That comeback ranks right up there. It was fun to be part of it.”

>> Subscriber perk: Sign up for our exclusive Syracuse Sports newsletter from Brent Axe. Not a subscriber? Try the newsletter for free

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit syracuse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.