Entering its third week at the top of the media polls, Cornell has only three opponents left to face in the men’s lacrosse regular season. All are currently ranked in the best 20 teams in the country.
The first hurdle to pass is No. 4 Syracuse (9-2, 2-0 ACC), a formidable rival the Red upset last season in a high-scoring game that went into double overtime. This time around, No 1. Cornell (9-1, 4-0 Ivy) is the team to beat.
“[Cornell and Syracuse] is one of the best rivalries in college lacrosse,” said head coach Connor Buzcek ’15 MBA ’17. “It’s a backyard brawl and a good opportunity for both teams to play a great team.”
The Red will meet the Orange at Mitchel Field on Long Island as part of the College Lacrosse Live series. It will be the first ever regular-season match on neutral territory between the teams. Though neither opponent will hold home-field advantage, both feature outstanding attack ability.
While Cornell still boasts the highest scoring offense in the country with 15.90 goals per game, Syracuse is not far behind, averaging 14.91. Last time out, the Orange dealt preseason favorite and two-time defending national champion Notre Dame a 14-9 defeat.
Joey Spallina paces Syracuse’s offense with 26 goals and 34 assists so far this season. Owen Hitlz and Michael Leo have both scored over 20 goals as well.
“A team like Syracuse will take advantage if we’re not playing cleanly, if we’re having empty possessions on the offensive end,” Buzcek said “They do a great job playing six-man offense and creating opportunities. For us, it’s about not giving them anything easy.”
Cornell had a slow start at Brown last weekend, only managing to string together a winning attack in the final quarter. A three-game stretch over eight days had taken a toll on the Red, though it managed to come away with victories over Penn, UAlbany and Brown.
“I was proud of the week,” Buzcek said. “We executed at a high level, for the most part, and we got better throughout the week. We were pleased to get out of it 3-0 and are now turning our focus to a very good Syracuse team.”
Junior faceoff Jack Cascadden, who won 70 percent against Albany and Brown and was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts, will have his work cut out for him at the X. Syracuse’s John Mullen has been a powerhouse this season, maintaining a .647 winning percentage as well as picking up 9.45 ground balls per game.
Performance at the X will be crucial to come out on top among two teams with similar strengths.
“That’s the name of the game. If you’re good in the middle,” Buzcek said. “They’ve got a heck of a ballplayer at the faceoff X. But Jack [Cascadden is] playing great ball. We’ve been really proud of his growth and trajectory.”
The change of scenery, from upstate to a hub of support for both teams, gives Cornell the opportunity to engage fans in the city as well as increase interest in the program. With a high-profile, high-stakes game on the line, the Red will be firing on all cylinders.
The match kicks off at noon on Saturday and will be broadcast live through Corrigan Sports Network. Tickets for general admission to Michel Field are still available for purchase.
Alexis Rogers is the sports editor on the 143rd editorial board. She is in the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts & Sciences, and she can be reached at arogers@cornellsun.com.
