The No. 11 Syracuse men’s lacrosse secured a dominant 15-5 road victory over Utah on Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium, bouncing back in impressive fashion.
The Orange (4-2) showcased a balanced attack, with Michael Leo, Owen Hiltz, Luke Rhoa, and Wyatt Hottle each netting two goals. Jimmy McCool made 11 saves and even contributed an assist, finding Michael Grace to beat Utah’s 10-man ride. In total, 11 different players found the back of the net for Syracuse. John Mullen won 13 of 22 faceoffs, while Joey Spallina dished out three assists.
Syracuse set the tone early, scoring four goals in three minutes after a scoreless opening stretch. The Orange ended the first quarter with a commanding 7-1 lead and extended it to 11-1 at halftime. Utah (1-4) managed three third-quarter goals, but Syracuse responded in the fourth, sealing the win with late strikes from Rhoa, Grace, and Billy Dwan III.
The Orange outshot the Utes 41-33 and held a 15-9 advantage on faceoffs. The victory marked Syracuse’s first in Utah and its first west of the Mississippi since 2005.
Syracuse returns home to face Johns Hopkins in a historic rivalry matchup at the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, March 9, at 2 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.