Slow start sinks UNC men's lacrosse against Syracuse

By the time the North Carolina men’s lacrosse team woke up, it was too late.

Facing No. 10 Syracuse on the road, the No. 11 Tar Heels needed to play sharp to threaten a team that was just 2-3 against ranked opponents entering Saturday’s contest.

But the Orange blitzed the Tar Heels, playing a near-perfect opening quarter. UNC was bested in the phases that it usually dominates on the way to a 13-7 loss.

From ground balls to faceoffs, Syracuse (7-4, 2-2 ACC) out-hustled UNC (7-5, 2-1 ACC) whenever there was an opportunity to do so. 

Still, after 15 minutes, UNC found itself within striking distance. Just two goals down, the Tar Heels were in a position to battle back before the half.

But Syracuse had other plans.

The second quarter was more lopsided than the first. While UNC’s level of effort picked up, the Orange had already found their offensive swagger. There was no slowing them down.

Syracuse's attack was too much for the Tar Heels to handle, pelting North Carolina goalkeeper Brian Balkam relentlessly. The Orange outscored the UNC 4-0 in the second quarter, earning a commanding 8-2 lead entering the half.

Despite the deficit, UNC started the second half on a tear, producing a dominant a quarter of its own. But in the end, it was too late for the Tar Heels. Against an opponent like Syracuse, UNC couldn’t muster the comeback it needed.

As the Tar Heels approach the ACC Tournament, they know that the opposition will only get tougher.

And while digging early holes hasn’t been an issue for UNC this season, now isn't a good time to form that habit.

Quotable

“We’re just looking for that consistency because we are playing such talented teams. You’ve got to be ready to play every week, and the margin of error is just paper-thin.” — Coach Joe Breschi on competing against stout ACC competition.

Notable

With this loss to Syracuse, the Tar Heels no longer have an opportunity to win the ACC regular season title outright. Still, UNC can share the season title with a win over Notre Dame in its final ACC game of the season. 

Three numbers that matter

4: The loss against Syracuse marks just the fourth time that UNC has been held under ten goals. The Tar Heels have lost every game when they failed to reach double digits.

24: UNC only managed 24 shots in the entire game. The Tar Heels had more shots in the first half of last week’s contest against Virginia (34), finishing that contest with 56 total.

4: Despite the loss, Michael Tagliaferri posted a career-high four goals against Syracuse.

What’s next?

The Tar Heels will take on Notre Dame in Kenan Stadium next Saturday for a chance to share the ACC regular season title. 

@_Brohammed

sports@dailytarheel.com