The quest for Syracuse’s first national title since 2009 and first Final Four since 2013 begins Sunday night against Yale inside the Carrier Dome. The No. 2 Orange (12-2, 4-0 Atlantic Coast) hosts the Bulldogs (10-5, 5-1 Ivy), the Ivy League champions, preseason No. 6 team and seventh-ranked offense in the country. The winner of Syracuse-Yale will play the winner of Penn State-Towson next Sunday at the University of Delaware. That winner will march on to Foxborough, Massachusetts, for the Final Four on Memorial Day weekend.

Here’s how our Syracuse men’s lacrosse beat writers predict SU will fare against Yale.

Charlie DiSturco
Barking Dog Never Bites
Syracuse 15, Yale 10

Syracuse players and coaches have said they failed to string together a “full 60-minute game” all season. Yet they’re the No. 2 seed with only a couple of losses in 14 games. Since barely escaping Binghamton, SU has not been the same team offensively or defensively. That changes in the team’s last game at the Carrier Dome this year (and last for the seniors altogether). A quick deficit will give Yale an early lead. But the Bulldogs will never ‘bite’ as a dominant Syracuse run punctuated by a five-point showing from Jordan Evans will push the Orange to the next round.

Sam Fortier
Bulldoges
Syracuse 13, Yale 12

After three consecutive disappointing defensive outings — SU held Binghamton to eight goals but Tom Moore had five of them — the Orange hasn’t shown it’ll be able to stop Yale’s high-powered offense as it shows out in the Dome. But because this is Syracuse, which hasn’t played a game against a ranked team decided by more than one goal all year, SU scrapes out the win like it does.

Matthew Gutierrez
Downward Dog
Syracuse 10, Yale 7

One of the game’s best attacks, Ben Reeves, leads a dangerous Yale team into the Carrier Dome Sunday night. Finally, the SU defense buckles down. Reeves gets his hat trick, though the rest of the Bulldogs attack is limited when SU makes key adjustments following two so-so defensive outings. SU’s offense doesn’t quite find its groove, but it scores when needed and marches on.

Published on May 13, 2017 at 10:48 am