The Atlantic Coast Conference men's lacrosse season culminates Sunday afternoon as No. 4 seed Syracuse faces No. 3 seed Duke for the championship title. The game is scheduled for noon ET at American Legion Memorial Stadium.
Syracuse advanced to the final by defeating top-seeded Notre Dame 14-12 Friday night. Fourth-seeded Syracuse used strong performances from players including Owen Hiltz, who registered six points, and faceoff specialist John Mullen, who won 21 of 26 attempts. Goalie Jimmy McCool made 20 saves in the victory.
Duke earned its place in the championship game with a 14-7 win over North Carolina. The Blue Devils established an early lead, holding the Tar Heels scoreless for an extended period. Key contributors in the semifinal included Tomas Delgado and Liam Kershis on offense, with Patrick Jameison making 10 saves in net.
This contest marks the fifth time Syracuse Lacrosse and Duke Lacrosse have met in the ACC Championship tournament and the third time they have played for the title. Syracuse won the previous championship meetings in 2015 and 2016. Syracuse holds a 3-1 advantage over Duke in past ACC tournament games.
In the regular season meeting this year, Duke defeated Syracuse 11-7 on Duke's home field. The all-time series record favors Syracuse, 15-11. The Orange are seeking their first win against Duke in the state of North Carolina since March 2018.
For Duke, a win would secure the program's eighth ACC tournament championship and the first since 2012. Coach John Danowski is pursuing his 485th career victory and 266th win coaching Duke.
Syracuse seeks its third ACC men's lacrosse championship crown. The last title came against Duke in 2016. A victory would give Syracuse 11 wins for the season, marking back-to-back years with at least 11 victories.
Coverage of the ACC Championship game will be available on the ACC Network. Fans can also follow via live statistics and team sites offering Duke news or Syracuse news, including Duke game notes and Syracuse game notes.
The winner of the championship game is expected to secure a top eight seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The official bracket is scheduled for release Sunday night.
