Syracuse men's lacrosse advanced to No. 1 in the country after beating then top-ranked Maryland on February 13 at the JMA Wireless Dome. Since then, the Orange has lost two in a row, the latest an 11-7 setback to storied rival Princeton in the ACC/Ivy League Challenge on Friday.
No. 7 Syracuse (3-2 overall) is in the midst of a brutal six-game road stretch. The 'Cuse started its 2026 season at 3-0 after stunning the Terps. But the Orange fell at Harvard last Saturday and then at No. 10 Princeton (2-1 overall) this past Friday in the late afternoon.
Up next, Syracuse men's lacrosse will have another match in the ACC/Ivy League Challenge on Sunday afternoon. The 'Cuse will travel to No. 19 Penn on Sunday, March 1, with coverage on ESPN+.
Syracuse men's lacrosse has fallen quickly from the No. 1 national ranking.
On Friday, Princeton jumped out to a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Orange would try to mount a comeback attempt, with the score 8-4, in favor of the Tigers, at halftime. That four-goal deficit at the half would be the same for the 'Cuse at the contest's conclusion.
Senior midfielder Michael Leo had one goal and three assists for SU. Senior attack Finn Thomson and sophomore attack/midfielder Payton Anderson each had two goals for the Orange.
Princeton led 52-40 in shots, 28-21 in shots on goal and 32-22 in ground balls, among other statistical categories. The 'Cuse did hold a 17-14 edge in saves and went 2-of-2 in extra-man opportunities.
Syracuse men's lacrosse had won six consecutive encounters with Princeton. With Friday's outcome, the Orange is 22-10 in its all-time series with the Tigers, and that includes several bouts in the national championship game of the NCAA Tournament. The teams last met in the regular season in 2023, when SU beat Princeton, 16-13, on the road.
Without question, it's disappointing that Syracuse has dropped two in a row after getting to the pinnacle in the sport. The schedule doesn't get any easier, and the Orange has work to do to regain the momentum it possessed a few weeks ago.