Syracuse lacrosse: North Carolina and Harvard preview and game thread

The women open up conference play on Tobacco Road while the men come home looking for a bounce-back after last weekend.

The final weekend of February is a big one for Syracuse Orange lacrosse.

The women are off to a good start but face by far their toughest test yet as they open up ACC play on the road at the resurgent North Carolina Tar Heels. Meanwhile, the men are back home and looking to get back in the win column when they host the Harvard Crimson.

The day gets started early with an opening draw for the women at 11 AM on ACC Network Extra, with the men to follow quickly with a 1 PM face-off, also on ACC Network Extra.

Women at North Carolina — 11 AM on ACC Network Extra

• All-time series: 21st meeting; UNC leads, 12-8
• Last meeting: Syracuse W, 20-5, on March 16, 2024
• Syracuse this year: 3-0 overall, 0-0 ACC
• North Carolina this year: 3-0 overall, 0-0 ACC

The No. 4-ranked ‘Cuse women have quite the task on their hands today as they head down to Chapel Hill for a Top 5 matchup with the No. 2 Tar Heels.

After an injury-riddled 2024 campaign in which they went a shockingly-mediocre 10-7 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (by 9 goals), Jenny Levy and UNC are looking to go on a revenge tour in 2025.

They already got Florida back for that nine-goal loss in the tournament last weekend with a 14-9 win to move to 3-0 on the season, and there is perhaps no team that they want more retribution on more than SU, who pummeled them in last season’s 20-5 beatdown in the JMA Dome.

Scouting UNC

The word ‘unbelievable’ gets used a lot, but the Tar Heels have a truly unbelievable amount of depth on their team.

Their offense returns five of their top seven scorers from last year. On most teams, that would be dangerous enough, but for Carolina it’s just the appetizer. They also return two major players out last year with injuries, a couple more added in the transfer portal, and a freshman class comprised of six five-stars, all of whom were ranked in the top-18 by Inside Lacrosse for this year. They are oozing with more talent that just about anybody in the country.

It’s tough to know where to start, but redshirt freshman Chloe Humphrey is a good place given her start. After missing her true freshman season with an injury, the No. 1 ranked player in last year’s class is making up for lost time with 15 points through her first three games, including 13 goals on a .650 shooting percentage.

Her older sister, Ashley Humphrey, is keeping pace thus far by tying her for the team lead at 15 points with a team-leading nine assists. Kiley Mottice (5G, 3A), Carolina Godine (2G, 2A), Darcy Felter (3G) and Reilly Casey (3A) are their main returners alongside Ashley. Marissa White (5G) is back from injury with five goals so far, and Olivia Vergano (2G, 3A) has come over from Virginia Tech to add to the depth.

Finally, freshmen Kate Levy (2G, 5A), Addison Pattillo (5G) and Eliza Osburn (1G, 3A) are all off to fast starts in this standing-room-only offense.

Defensively, all-everything defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch is back from injury to lead a defense that’s given up a grand total of 12 goals in three games, two of which were against ranked teams in James Madison and Florida.

Their dominance on both ends of the field so far this season can best be summed up by the fact that they’ve scored the same amount of goals, 51, as they’ve allowed total shots (not shots on goal, just shots of any kind).

In goal, sophomore Betty Nelson is as on-fire as a goalie can be, with a 4.40 goals-against average and a .593 save percentage.

Men vs. Harvard — 1 PM on ACC Network Extra

• All-time series: 19th meeting; Syracuse leads, 18-0
• Last meeting: Syracuse W, 11-4, on May 14, 2006
• Syracuse this year: 3-1 overall
• Harvard this year: 1-1 overall

Saturday renews one of SU’s oldest matchups, although a relatively infrequent one.

The ‘Cuse-Harvard series began all the way back in 1919, but has been played very few times since the early 1930’s. The Orange have won every game played between the two schools, the most recent of which was played in the 2006 NCAA Tournament First Round. The last time these two met in the regular season was 1985 in Cambridge.

Scouting Harvard

The Crimson got their season started last weekend with a ranked with over Providence, 12-10. But the good vibes from that start were quickly halted thanks to a Tuesday loss at home to Colgate in which they almost gave up a 20 spot in a 19-15 defeat.

So, it’s a battle of teams coming off losses in this one.

Harvard was picked to finish fifth in the Ivy League preseason poll in yet another loaded year for the league. They return the majority of their production from last year, especially offensively, where nine of their top 10 scorers are back.

Their leader is All-American attacker Sam King, one of the country’s best and coming off a 73-point junior season. He’s off to an incredible start as a senior, scoring seven points against Providence and six against Colgate.

The Harvard attack is on fire to start the season, averaging 14 points per game among the trio of King (3G, 10A), Jack Speidell (8G) and Teddy Malone (5G, 2A).

The Crimson are a definite work in progress in goal and on face-offs, where they’re relying on a couple freshman and a sophomore. Freshman Jackson Henehan (13-of-31) and sophomore Owen Umansky (11-of-29) are leading them to a rough, .381 FO win percentage through two games. In goal, freshman Graham Stevens has a 14.50 GAA and a .473 save percentage to start his career.