Syracuse lacrosse pulls program-reviving upset of two-time defending national champs

Syracuse lacrosse made the trip to South Bend for Friday night's ACC Tournament semifinal at a low point.

The Orange had dropped three consecutive games, and their hopes of a first conference championship since 2016 looked slim.

On the other sideline would be Notre Dame, the two-time defending national champions and top seed in the ACC.

But then SU took the field and looked much like its legendary teams of the past.

It's been a while, but Friday night's win might just send Syracuse on its way back toward the top of the sport.

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Syracuse's Owen Hiltz scored a minute and 11 seconds into the match, and the Orange never trailed en route to a 14-12 win that also included a lengthy weather delay.

Goalie Jimmy McCool faced 32 shots on goal and saved 20 of them.

Hiltz led the way with five goals, and Joey Spallina had a team-high three assists on the brilliant night for Syracuse.

The Orange are 10-time national champions, but it's been a while since their glory.

Their last Final Four appearance was 2013, when they were national runner-up.

They haven't won the championship since back-to-back in 2008 and 2009.

SU now is led by Gary Gait, one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. They've got Joey Spallina, now well-established as the team's leading man after being the No. 1 recruit in the country a few years ago and earning the program's historic No. 22.

Now, Syracuse's hopes of changing all this recent relatively poor history might hinge on a hot streak.

A regular season losing streak won't mean anything if Syracuse catches fire at the right time.

The Orange want to get back to playing on Memorial Day for the first time in more than a decade.

After Friday night's impressive win over the Fighting Irish, they've officially got a real chance at it. 

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