Syracuse men’s lacrosse: Orange crushed, 14-9, in sloppy performance at North Carolina

The Syracuse Orange celebrate a goal during an NCAA men's lacrosse game at 1952 Stadium in Princeton, United States, on February 27, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Saturday was not the day for the Syracuse Orange, who traveled down to Chapel Hill and had their six-game winning streak exploded in a 14-9 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels. Carolina used a 6-0 run that started late in the first quarter and continued into the second to take control of the game, turning a one-goal deficit into a five-goal advantage and never looking back.

‘Cuse would not get closer than three goals the rest of the game. It was a disaster of a day for the Orange, who got out-played in every aspect of the game by the Tar Heels. Johnny Mullen , Drew Angelo and the face-off unit hung with Brady Wambach for a while, at one point tied 8-8, but ultimately lost that battle, 17-10, as the second half wore on.

But the real issues were everywhere else, where ‘Cuse’s performance was defined by the mistakes they made, the opportunities they wasted and the way they allowed UNC to dictate the way it all played out. The offense was shut down by Carolina’s defense. SU never generated anything from behind the cage (barely ever venturing back there), lacked conviction and effectiveness in their ball movement and dodging, and largely didn’t force slides or switches.

As a result, the Tar Heels were able to play straight up on their marks, pack themselves in and keep all the action in front of them and above GLE. ‘Cuse only had four assists on the game because the passing and off-ball cutting lanes simply were not available in any area of danger in the 6-on-6. The Orange were forced into mostly shots from distance in the half field, helping goalie Josh Marcus be a difference-maker with 15 saves on the day.