No. 11 Syracuse men’s lacrosse traveled to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Utes. After falling to Maryland and Harvard, the Orange were determined to break their two-game losing streak—and they did much more than that, dominating the Utes 15-5. There was much anticipation for this game, as Utah’s roster boasts several high-scoring players.
Photo Cred: SU Athletics
Ryan Stines (attack), who has 17 points in four games this season and scored 67 points last year, was named to the 2025 preseason Tewaaraton Award Watch List. Luke McNamara (attack), Utah’s leading goal scorer, had netted 10 goals so far. Syracuse coach Gary Gait had emphasized the importance of figuring out how to win games, with his main concerns being missed shots and turnovers. From the looks of it, the Orange heard his message loud and clear, executing exactly what Gait had outlined for them.
Syracuse came out firing in the first half, scoring 11 goals and heading into halftime with a commanding 11-1 lead. Joey Spallina recorded 3 assists, and Wyatt Hottle scored 2 points with 3 total shots. John Mullen also contributed by leading in ground balls with 8. But perhaps the most impressive play of the game came when Michael Grace scored a 50-plus-yard goal after Utah goalie Colin Lenskold was caught out of position. Utah, with 19 turnovers and losing faceoff battles 15-9, never stood a chance.
Photo Cred: SU Athletics
While Utah is currently a below-.500 team, this win was a much-needed confidence booster for Syracuse. A loss would have had significant consequences, potentially dropping them significantly in the rankings. With this big win, the Orange are now in high spirits as they look ahead to their next matchup on Sunday against No. 6 Johns Hopkins—an important test before their tough April schedule. Syracuse will face a series of ranked opponents, including No. 1 Notre Dame on April 5, No. 3 Cornell on April 12, No. 7 Duke on April 19, and No. 4 North Carolina on April 26.
