On February 15, 2025, at SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland, Syracuse (3-0) faced off against Maryland (2-0) in a highly anticipated lacrosse matchup. The game was expected to be a competitive one, with both teams entering the contest with impressive early-season records. Syracuse, coming in undefeated at 3-0, was a 3.5-point favorite, and every major news outlet had picked them to win. However, Maryland had other plans, and the game unfolded in a surprising way.
The game started with both teams trading goals early. Syracuse opened the scoring at 5:57 in the first quarter, as Trey Deere found the back of the net, assisted by Joey Spallina. Maryland responded quickly at 3:12 with Elijah Stobaugh scoring with an assist from Jack Dowd, and just seconds later, Luke Rhoa put Syracuse back ahead, 2-1, with an unassisted goal. However, Maryland wasn’t done and closed the quarter with a goal from Matthew Keegan to tie it up, 2-2.
The second quarter saw both teams continue to battle. Maryland pulled ahead first at 11:04 with a goal from AJ Larkin, but Syracuse answered back with a goal from Finn Thomson, assisted by Sam English, at 10:35. The back-and-forth continued as Braden Erksa scored for Maryland at 7:13, followed by a two-goal sequence from Spallina at 2:29 and 0:28, both unassisted, to give Syracuse a 5-4 lead at halftime.
As the third quarter began, Maryland regained momentum. Eliot Dubick opened the scoring for Maryland at 12:51, while Daniel Kelly added another at 5:38. Eric Spanos then scored two quick goals at 1:42 and 0:43, the second one coming on the power play, to push Maryland’s lead to 8-5. However, Syracuse answered with a goal from Owen Hiltz at 0:17, bringing the score to 8-6 heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter saw Maryland continue their strong offensive play. Bryce Ford scored twice in the opening minutes of the quarter, increasing Maryland’s lead to 10-6. Kelly added another at 8:46 to make it 11-6. Syracuse tried to rally with a goal from Hiltz at 6:34, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Maryland held on to secure an 11-7 victory, much to the surprise of many.
Maryland’s offensive efforts were led by Eric Spanos, who tallied two goals and two assists. Other key contributors for Maryland included Daniel Kelly with two goals and Braden Erksa, who finished with a goal and an assist. Syracuse’s top performers were Joey Spallina, who recorded two goals and two assists, and Owen Hiltz, who contributed two goals.
The game was a closely contested affair, with both teams showing great offensive depth and resilience. Maryland’s defense, led by goalkeeper Logan McNaney, held strong throughout the second half, while Syracuse’s Jimmy McCool made several key saves but ultimately couldn’t keep up with the Maryland offense. The game featured strong faceoff battles, with Maryland narrowly winning the battle 12-11, and both teams fought hard on ground balls, each finishing with 22.
In terms of penalties, Syracuse had several infractions, including tripping and unnecessary roughness, while Maryland was penalized for an offside violation. Neither team took advantage of extra-man opportunities, with Syracuse going 0-1 and Maryland going 2-3 on the day.
Despite being favored to win, Syracuse fell to 3-1 on the season, while Maryland improved to 3-0, proving that rankings and predictions are never set in stone. The game demonstrated the strength of Maryland’s offensive firepower and their ability to capitalize on Syracuse’s mistakes.
