BALTIMORE -- Having survived an uncharacteristically poor
regular season, the Syracuse lacrosse team plans on a more typical
performance this weekend in the Final Four.
The defending champions lost three home games and endured their
first three-game losing streak since 1981. Yet the Orangemen have
flourished in the postseason, beating Dartmouth and then Princeton
to advance to the semifinal round for an unprecedented 21st
straight year.
Syracuse (10-5) will face top-seeded Johns Hopkins
(13-1), which has won 10 straight and will surely receive plenty of
support from an expected crowd of more 32,000 Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.
While some might consider the Orangemen to be the underdog, it's
important to note that Syracuse has won this tournament eight times
and is 4-0 in the semifinals since 1998.
"It's a pretty daunting opponent," Hopkins coach Dave
Pietramala said Friday. "May is their month."
The second semifinal Saturday matches Atlantic Coast Conference
foes Virginia (13-2) and Maryland (12-3). The winners meet in the
championship game Monday.
A month ago, it appeared that the Final Four might be conducted
without Syracuse for the first time since 1982. Successive losses
to Rutgers, Hofstra and Massachusetts left the Orangemen with a 7-5
record and plenty of doubts.
But Syracuse rebounded from a 6-3 halftime deficit to beat
Georgetown and gain entry to the tournament. After a 13-11 struggle
against Dartmouth, the Orangemen finally got it together with a
15-5 quarterfinal rout of six-time NCAA champion Princeton, which
beat Syracuse 11-10 on March 22.
"The season was a little shaky for us, but it all came together
against Princeton," senior defenseman Solomon Bliss said. "I
don't know if we're relieved to be here; we were always planning on
it, no matter what."
Syracuse in the Final Four is as much a part of the Memorial Day
weekend as cookouts and the opening of the local swimming pool.
This year is no different.
"My parents make reservations for the Final Four a year in
advance," said Mike Powell, who has 31 goals and 31 assists. "I
feel like we were the underdogs until last weekend, when we proved
we could play with the best in the country."
Now comes Hopkins. The Blue Jays' lone loss came at Syracuse on
March 15, when the Orangemen rallied from an 8-2 deficit for a
15-14 victory.
"In the first half, we played our best lacrosse to date. In the
second half, they outworked us," Hopkins midfielder Adam Doneger
said. "Syracuse has the ability to do that."
The Blue Jays are making their record 32nd straight tournament
appearance, but they've gone since 1987 without a title.
Maryland is seeking to end an even longer dry spell. The
Terrapins are making their 17th appearance in the Final Four, but
haven't won it all since 1975.
Virginia, champion in 1972 and '99, enters as the ACC
champ. The Cavaliers' losses this season came in succession
against Hopkins and Maryland, both by an 8-7 score in late March.
"Those games taught us a couple lessons," Virginia coach Dom
Starsia said. "I think right now we're a much more selfless
offensive team."
The game will be played at home of the Baltimore Ravens, marking
the first time the lacrosse Final Four has been held at a pro
venue. Record crowds are expected on both days.