Syracuse Beats North Carolina 13-11 to Reach NCAA Championship Weekend for 2nd Straight Year
Updated
Updated · Syracuse University Athletics · May 16
Syracuse Beats North Carolina 13-11 to Reach NCAA Championship Weekend for 2nd Straight Year
9 articles · Updated · Syracuse University Athletics · May 16
No. 6 Syracuse erased a 6-2 second-quarter deficit to beat No. 3 North Carolina 13-11 in the NCAA quarterfinals, avenging two earlier losses to the Tar Heels.
Joey Spallina and Finn Thomson scored 3 goals each, Luke Rhoa added 2 goals and 1 assist, and faceoff specialist John Mullen won 13 of 24 draws while scoring twice.
Syracuse's defense tightened after halftime, limiting North Carolina to 5 second-half goals, while goalie Jimmy McCool made 12 saves on 23 shots on cage.
After UNC tied the game at 10 with 10:21 left, Spallina's go-ahead goal sparked the closing push that sent Syracuse to its first back-to-back Championship Weekend since 2008-09.
The Orange next face No. 2 seed Notre Dame in the national semifinals on May 23 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.
After a losing record against top teams, is Syracuse's stunning upset a sign of peaking or just a postseason fluke?
How much did an injury to North Carolina's star player decide the outcome of this improbable four-goal comeback?
Syracuse's offense previously stalled against Notre Dame. What must change for them to conquer the Fighting Irish in the semifinals?