#3 Syracuse men's lacrosse loses to #2 UNC, ending winning streak

The Orange were unable to overcome a 6-0 run by the Tar Heels in the first half.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 8:08pm

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The #3 Syracuse men's lacrosse team saw its six-game winning streak snapped with a 14-9 loss to the #2 North Carolina Tar Heels on the road. Syracuse took an early 3-2 lead in the first quarter, but UNC responded with a 6-0 run before halftime to go up 8-5. The Orange were unable to complete the comeback in the second half, dropping the road matchup by five goals.

Why it matters

This loss drops Syracuse's record to 6-2 on the season and ends their impressive winning streak. The Orange were looking to make a statement against the highly-ranked Tar Heels, but the loss will likely impact their national ranking and playoff positioning as the season progresses.

The details

Michael Leo led Syracuse with three goals and two assists, but star player Joey Spallina was held scoreless. On the other side, UNC's Dom Pietramala had a dominant performance with five goals on 10 shots.

  • The game took place on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
  • Syracuse's next game is at home against Virginia on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 4 p.m.

The players

Michael Leo

A Syracuse player who led the team with three goals and two assists in the loss.

Joey Spallina

A star Syracuse player who was held scoreless in the game.

Dom Pietramala

A North Carolina player who scored five goals on 10 shots to lead the Tar Heels.

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What they’re saying

“We just couldn't overcome their big run in the first half. Credit to UNC, they played a great game and deserved the win.”

— Syracuse Head Coach

What’s next

Syracuse will look to bounce back when they return home to take on Virginia on Saturday, April 11th at 4 p.m.

The takeaway

This loss serves as a wake-up call for Syracuse, who will need to regroup quickly if they want to maintain their national ranking and make a deep playoff run. The team will need to learn from this defeat and find ways to overcome elite opponents like UNC.