A man-up explosion fuels Syracuse lacrosse’s big comeback: ‘It definitely sparked a little juice’

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. – Across the first 50 minutes of Sunday’s first round NCAA tournament game at the JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse men’s lacrosse was mired in its worst offensive slump of the season.

Harvard stonewalled Syracuse on offense, and instead of gleefully circulating the ball like it does when it’s at its best, the Orange was throwing the ball away. The gifted attack line of Joey Spallina, Owen Hiltz and Finn Thomson had combined for just two points.

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]

After Harvard’s Jack Speidell scored to extend the Crimson’s lead to 11-6 with 10:59 left, Syracuse was staring at the possibility of its season ending at home in an upset loss.

But after 50 lifeless minutes, the Orange surged for five goals in the next 2:10 to tie the game, including three on the man-up. The crowd grew louder with each goal, reminding coach Gary Gait of “the good old days,” and hitting a crescendo when Michael Leo gave Syracuse the lead 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]

Though Harvard equalized with 6 seconds remaining in regulation, Hiltz netted the game-winner on the first possession of overtime to send Syracuse into the quarterfinals and a matchup with No. 3 Princeton at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra.

“It definitely sparked a little juice,” Hiltz said of Syracuse’s man-up, “especially in the crowd.”

Luke Rhoa started the comeback with his third goal of the game at the 10:28 mark, and 15 seconds later, Harvard’s Owen Guest made the mistake that allowed Syracuse back into the game.

He was whistled for a one-minute unreleasable crosscheck penalty on Spallina, and Syracuse knew it had its chance. The Orange is third in the NCAA in extra-man goals.

“The story is going to be that they scored one more goal,” Harvard coach Gerry Byrne said. “But we fueled it and fed it and they took advantage of it.”

John Mullen won the faceoff, and 13 seconds later, Spallina dished to Trey Deere at the doorstep to make it 11-8. Eleven seconds after that, long pole Chuck Kuczynski fired another in off an assist from Thomson.

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]

“(Offensive coordinator Pat) March kind of gave us the green light to go fast and play fast; we needed to score goals,” Hiltz said. “We had some LSMs step up and score huge goals that were definitely crowd-pleasers and get everyone involved, definitely a juice goal in my opinion.”

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]

Just as the man-up was ending, Deere scored again from the same spot, this time off an assist from Hiltz.

Mullen just kept winning faceoffs, and with 8:49 left, Rhoa scored his fourth of the day to tie the game 11-11.

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]

“We fed the comeback with unpoised, physical play in the fourth quarter,” Byrne said. “It’s hard to regain momentum if you’re doing 80% of everything and then making too much of a physical play in critical moments.”

The game went back to six-on-six, and SU fell silent again. But with 3:56 remaining, Harvard’s Finn Pokorny was called for a push, and Syracuse went back on the man-up for another 30 seconds.

The Orange delicately passed the ball around the horn for 24 seconds before Hiltz flipped a behind-the-back pass to Leo, who fired in the go-ahead goal from the wing.

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]

“When a team is desperate to come back, you don’t make those kinds of plays,” Byrne said. “You make them score six-on-six. They were having trouble scoring on us six-on-six, in a true six-on-six setting. So they scored unsettled, they scored on faceoffs, they scored on extra-man, but in six-on-six, they had a tough day.”

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]

For most of the game, Hiltz struggled along with the Orange, turning the ball over a game-high five times as Syracuse totaled a season-high 20 turnovers.

The redshirt senior had recorded a point in all 61 games of his career before Sunday – a program record – but had none in the first 50 minutes of what could have been his last game for Syracuse.

He had a hand in three of the Orange’s last four goals.

In his final game at the JMA Wireless Dome, Hiltz scored only once.

But it was the biggest goal of his career.

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

The Orange celebrate their overtime 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]

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]