Well in one sense, it may already be. After about as up-and-down of a season as possible, Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse has made its return to the final four of the NCAA Tournament. This was the year! Many said this was the make-or-break year for Gary Gait – could he make it to Memorial Day Weekend? And he did.
But now comes the real hard question. Could Syracuse actually take home a national title, in what would be a first for the university since the Men’s Soccer squad won a national title in 2022> There are five teams left in contention. So let’s see who Syracuse could realistically beat.
Potential Semifinal Opponents
Maryland – Yes
Now this one is hard to say, because Syracuse looked bad in the regular season meeting with the Terps. The Orange were outplayed in almost every asset. But you have to remember the weather that day was abysmal. With hopefully better conditions next week in Massachusetts, this could be anyone’s game to win in the semifinals.
Georgetown – Yes
Of all the teams left, this would be Syracuse’s favorite matchup. While the Orange did fall in their last NCAA Tournament meeting with the Hoyas, a lot has changed since 2021. SU has the more potent offense. And that can win almost any game.
Potential Championship Opponents
Cornell – Maybe
Before today, this would have been an absolute no. SU was rocked in its regular season contest, and the Big Red have been really dominant most of the year. But an unseeded Richmond squad pushed Cornell to the brink in the quarterfinals today. That’s a good sign for the Orange of another team showing some weakness.
Penn State – Maybe
The Nittany Lions are interesting. Penn State has an excellent resume, including a win over Cornell early in the season. But they also have some notable losses, like to Princeton and Maryland. We’re at the point in the season where everyone has beaten everyone, so consider Penn State a wildcard.
Notre Dame – Yes
Played them twice. Beat them twice. Enough said? Sure, beating a team three times is very hard, but SU has shown they have ND’s number.
