No. 8 Syracuse (9-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) starts the NCAA tournament with a matchup against No. 6-ranked Loyola (11-4, 7-1 Patriot) Saturday in Baltimore, Maryland. Both teams are coming off first-round exits in their conference tournaments.

Here’s what to know about the Greyhounds.

All-time series:  Syracuse leads, 19-5

Last time they played: On March 28, 2009, then-No. 2 Syracuse defeated then-No. 15 Loyola 14-13 to move to 7-1 on the season. The Orange rallied back from a 12-8 deficit with just over 12 minutes to play in the game. Then-senior Dan Hardy scored four goals in the game, including three in SU’s final rally. The win contributed to what would eventually become the second of Syracuse’s back-to-back NCAA championship seasons.

The Loyola report: The Greyhounds may be the best all-around team that SU’s faced so far this season. Loyola ranks in the top-10 in both scoring offense and defense, led by Tewaaraton finalist attack Pat Spencer and a top-three goalkeeper in the country in Jacob Stover, respectively.

Spencer, who is third in the country in points with 94, excels as both a scorer and a distributor. Behind Spencer, Kevin Lindley is the second-best goal scorer in the country. The Greyhounds don’t lack top-end talent, and got off to one of the hottest starts for any team this year. In weeks two and three of the Inside Lacrosse Division I media poll, LU ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.

How Syracuse beats LU: Loyola, in a five-goal output last week, proved that it could be bested with strong defense. The Orange have the tools to limit the Loyola offense, even if Spencer or Lindley are able to break free in the game. The offense, as always, has to follow suit, but holding the Greyhounds to under 10 goals (at least five below their season average of 14) is a good strategy to pick up a first-round upset.

Stat to know: .596 — Jacob Stover’s save percentage

The goalie battle between two top-five goalkeepers in the country will be one of the bigger storylines in the Syracuse-Loyola matchup.

Player to watch: Pat Spencer, attack, No. 7

Spencer can pass: he’s ranked fourth in the country in assists per game. He can shoot: he’s in the top-30 in goals per game. He can do it all: he’s third in the country in points with 94. Spencer is assuredly the best player Loyola has and a player that Syracuse cannot ignore if it expects to keep up with the Greyhounds.

 

Published on May 10, 2019 at 10:11 pm

Contact Michael: mmcclear@syr.edu | @MikeJMcCleary