Beat writers predict loss to Blue Devils in last regular season game

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Syracuse traveled to Virginia last week hoping to extend its winning streak to three games and position itself firmly in a spot to make the NCAA Tournament. But, its defensive lapses and consistent struggles at the faceoff X resulted in a 19-12 loss to the Cavaliers. The Orange, now sitting at No. 20 in the RPI, head to Duke for a chance at taking down the No. 2 team in the country.

An upset likely earns Syracuse a spot in the postseason tournament for the first time in two years. A loss means the end to another season without postseason play. The Blue Devils rebounded from their second loss of the season to Notre Dame by beating the Cavaliers 15-14. Duke has two more games before finishing off one of its best regular seasons in program history.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse will fare against the Blue Devils.

Anish Vasudevan (11-3)
The Devil Wears Blue
Duke 19, Syracuse 16

Syracuse came down to Planet Earth last week following two upset wins over Princeton and North Carolina. The Orange are better than they were last year but they’re still not at the point where they can defeat ACC powerhouses. An NCAA tournament is out of the picture.

SU seriously challenged Duke earlier this season, maintaining a lead for the most of the matchup as Will Mark finished with a season-high 22 saves. Eventually, SU’s failure to win at the faceoff circle, win ground balls and take efficient shots got the best of it. The Orange have won a lot more ground balls and cultivated a deadly offense but the faceoff issues are still there. We all sound like a broken record talking about the faceoffs but it hasn’t gotten better at all. Duke also leads the nation in faceoff win percentage.

This could be close for most of the game but a single quarter is going to hurt SU. Last week against Virginia, it was the first quarter that got the best of Syracuse. Against Duke earlier this year, it was the third quarter. There’s no way to predict when this abysmal period will happen but it’s inevitable.

Connor Smith (13-1)
The future is bright
Duke 18, Syracuse 13

This has been an important building year for Syracuse. Its 4-10 record in 2022 was its worst in program history, and the Orange needed some hope for the future. They’ve found it in a talented freshman class, with both expected, namely Joey Spallina and Finn Thomson, and unexpected players like Michael Leo performing at a high level. SU is just a few pieces away from seriously competing for a national championship — mainly a strong faceoff man and a lock-up defenseman to keep up with top ACC scorers like Connor Shellenberger, Pat Kavanagh and Brennan O’Neill. Add those two players and Syracuse is looking at a different type of season next year.

But this one, barring an extremely unlikely series of events, will end Saturday at Duke. The Blue Devils are the nation’s No. 1 team, a serious contender for the national title. They rank fifth nationally in both goals per game and faceoff winning percentage, meaning SU will likely spend a lot of time, again, playing defense on Saturday. I expect O’Neill, who notched four goals and two assists in Duke’s overtime win over Syracuse in early March, to have another strong game, and for the Devils to carry an early lead into the final whistle. And when that comes, the Orange’s season will be over, yes, but they’ll also have an exciting 2024 season to look forward to.

Anthony Alandt (9-5)
Good night, Gary
Duke 17, Syracuse 10

A loss on Saturday against Duke likely means Syracuse is out of the NCAA Tournament for yet another year. A disappointing reality, understandably, but one that shouldn’t be taken as an indictment on where the program is heading. Gary Gait brought in one of the best recruiting classes in Syracuse history, headlined by the No. 1 recruit in the country in Spallina. He found a goalie that is now a Tewaaraton Award finalist and attempted to revamp a faceoff unit that is showing signs of moving in the right direction.

But, the Blue Devils are just too good, too experienced and play too concisely to lead anyone to believe that Syracuse will pull off a road upset.

Let this game serve as a marker for where Syracuse can be in the next few years if it keeps recruiting well and hammering the transfer portal. Sooner, rather than later, the Orange should be vying for a top spot in the ACC and in the country. I think it should be a massive lesson for Syracuse, a final time for this young core to watch the real movers and shakers of college lacrosse dazzle in front of an electric crowd. A win, though, is highly unlikely.

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