Syracuse vs. Notre Dame box score: Live stats from NCAA men's lacrosse semifinal

The NCAA men's lacrosse semifinals featured No. 6 Syracuse Orange and No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday. Syracuse, the only returning semifinalist from last year, took an early lead but trailed 4-3 to Notre Dame after the first quarter. By the end of the second quarter, the game was tied 7-7, with Syracuse’s Luke Rhoa and Finn Thomson contributing key goals and assists for the Orange. Notre Dame, a two-time defending NCAA champion, entered the game with a strong record and relied on Josh Yago’s performance in their 15-9 quarterfinal win over Johns Hopkins. Syracuse’s Joey Spallina, who scored six points in their semifinal win over North Carolina, remained a threat. The winner will face No. 1 Princeton in Monday’s national championship game, after Princeton defeated Duke 14-7 earlier in the day. Syracuse’s offense led with Finn Thomson scoring two goals and Luke Rhoa adding one goal and two assists. Notre Dame’s Matt Jeffery and Will Angrick each scored once, while Josh Yago and Will Maheras provided critical assists. Both teams showed resilience, with Syracuse’s John Mullen and Notre Dame’s Thomas Ricciardelli leading in ground balls. The game remained tightly contested, with neither team gaining a significant advantage by halftime. Syracuse’s defense held strong, limiting Notre Dame’s scoring opportunities, while Notre Dame’s goalies made key saves to keep the match close. The semifinal stage sets up a potential rematch for the national title, with both teams aiming to secure their third consecutive championship for Notre Dame or their first in program history for Syracuse.