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Syracuse dropped two spots to No. 11 in this week’s Inside Lacrosse rankings, placing the Orange outside the top 10 for the first time since May 2019. SU lost in a 21-9 thrashing on Saturday at the hands of then-No. 5 North Carolina, who moved up one spot to No. 4.

For the second straight week, the Orange are the only Atlantic Coast Conference team outside the top five. Syracuse sits at 5-4 overall but has a losing conference record, having only beaten Virginia in the second week of the season.

Against North Carolina on Saturday, the first men’s lacrosse game with fans back in the Carrier Dome, Syracuse conceded a 5-0 run to open the game and never recovered. It scored a season-low nine goals and allowed a season-high 21.

Syracuse starting defender Nick DiPietro was ruled out due to injury prior to the game, and the Orange were also without short-stick defensive midfielder Brandon Aviles. The Orange defense was porous during that 5-0 run, failing on three consecutive clears.

Syracuse now needs to win against either No. 2 Notre Dame or No. 5 Virginia in its remaining two games — both of which are on the road — to avoid its first losing season since 2007.

The Fighting Irish did not play last weekend, but the Cavaliers lost 13-12 in overtime against Duke on Thursday and beat unranked Utah by seven goals on Saturday.

Published on April 19, 2021 at 12:33 pm

Contact Roshan: rferna04@syr.edu | @Roshan_f16