Preview: No. 6 Maryland men’s lacrosse hosts No. 2 Syracuse

Photo courtesy of Allison Mize/Maryland Terrapins

No. 6 Maryland men’s lacrosse (2-0) scraped by in its last contest against Loyola, digging itself out of a three-goal fourth-quarter deficit and scoring the game-winner in overtime. But the Terps will need to get off to a much quicker start if they have any hopes of pulling off the upset against No. 2 Syracuse (3-0) on Saturday. 

Fourth-year head coach Gary Gait had big shoes to fill when he took over the job and moved on from the women’s lacrosse program. Despite a hiccup in his first season at the helm, Gait has slowly restored the program to what it looked like under Hall of Fame head coach John Desko.

Last year was by far his best season at the helm. Gait guided the Orange to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals, the farthest they have gone since 2017. It finished with a 12-6 record, falling to No. 5 Denver, 10-8.

And Syracuse has gotten off to a perfect start in 2025, picking up wins over Jacksonville, Vermont and then-No. 17 Towson by a combined margin of 38 goals.

The sixth-best scoring attack in Division I last season with 14.7 goals per game has carried its success over. They are averaging just over 18 goals, the seventh-most in the country, including 24 in the season-opener.

The Orange’s offensive firepower can’t be discussed without mentioning junior attacker Joey Spallina. The top-ranked recruit in the class of 2022 and a member of last season’s United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-America third team has lived up to the hype. Spallina has combined for 73 goals and 83 assists over his first two years. And he is on pace for his best season, recording 10 goals and 11 assists so far.

Redshirt senior attacker Owen Hiltz forms a 1-2 punch with Spallina. He had a career-high 37 goals last season while adding 27 assists. Hiltz has seven goals and eight assists so far, ranking third in the nation with 15 total points. He is a two-time USILA All-American Honorable Mention.

Syracuse’s defense has improved significantly from last season, boasting the third-best scoring defense in the country. Junior goalie Jimmy McCool has been the key, with the third-highest save percentage in the nation (67.4).

But it helps when you have junior defender Billy Dwan in front of you — a USILA All-American third-teamer last season. Dwan scored eight goals, picked up 34 ground balls and caused 18 turnovers.

The dynamic pairing of junior Michael Leo and graduate student Sam English anchor the Orange’s midfield. Leo is more of the attacking threat, producing seven goals and two assists in 2024. English handles the majority of the defensive load, as he has collected seven ground balls and forced three turnovers a year ago. Both players were named All-American honorable mentions.

But Maryland will present Syracuse with its toughest challenge and prove just how legit it is. 

However, without the heroics of Eric Spanos, the Terps wouldn’t be holding an undefeated record. He scored four goals in the team’s last contest, including three in the fourth quarter to inspire Maryland’s comeback victory. It was Binghamton transfer Matthew Keegan who won it for the Terps in overtime, though.

The trio of Keegan, Bryce Ford and Jack Dowd have revitalized Maryland’s attack, doing exactly what it was brought in to do. They have combined for six goals and six assists.

And Logan McManey has made timely saves, four of which came in the third quarter against Loyola to keep the Terps within striking distance.

Maryland’s faceoff was a key factor in its comeback, as it won four straight to help the Terps score four goals in four minutes and take the lead. Sean Creter and Shea Keethler gathered 13 of the 19 faceoffs, a draw control percentage of 68.4. 

The only worrying signs from the last game were Maryland’s stagnant offense at times and sloppiness. It recorded 18 turnovers, preventing it from getting looks at the net. Empty possessions against Syracuse’s high-powered offense will be costly.

The Terps have won 14 of the 20 meetings against the Orange, including the last six contests. The last time Maryland lost at home in this series dates back to 1995. It will be looking to make it seven straight.

Saturday’s matchup will be the first of three consecutive matchups against top-8 opponents.

The game will begin at 2 p.m. and can be seen on Big Ten Plus.