The weekend of April 8th was one that saw many top-ranked teams play overtime thrillers against one another. We are now in the heart of the 2023 NCAA lacrosse season where every game matters more. Here are some of the biggest games this past weekend:
Penn State 12 Johns Hopkins 11 (Double-OT) – Box Score
Three different Big Ten games went into overtime with one going to double-overtime. Penn State took down sixth-ranked Johns Hopkins 12-11 in a two-overtime contest. TJ Malone led the way for the Nittany Lions with seven points (four goals and three assists), while Kevin Winkoff scored twice, including the game winning goal. Penn State goalkeeper, Jack Fracyon had an amazing night with a 59% save rate.
For Johns Hopkins, Russell Melendez put up six of the team’s eleven goals in the losing effort. The next highest goal scorer for the Blue Jays was Garrett Degnon with two, while Brendan Grimes tallied a goal and as assist and Case McDermott had two assists.
Denver 12 Villanova 6 – Box Score
The Denver Pioneers played as a well-rounded unit resulting in a ranked win over the Wildcats of Villanova. Three different Pioneers led the score sheet with two goals and seven different players recorded an assist. Malcolm Kleban was outstanding in the cage for Denver saving 10 of 14 shots faced resulting in a .71 save percentage.
Villanova’s offense was stymied much of the game by the Denver defense, as no Wildcats’ players could put more than one goal in the net. Six Villanova players managed to score a goal and only seven players recorded a point. Patrick Daly had two points on the day with a goal and an assist.
Notre Dame 17 Duke 12 – Box Score
The collegiate lacrosse world now has another debate as to who is truly the number one team in the country as second ranked Notre Dame beat top-ranked Duke. The Kavanagh duo was electric for the Irish with a combined 13 points. Pat Kavanagh had three goals and five assists while Chris Kavanagh led the way with five goals. Eric Dodson recorded an assist and put three shots in the back of the net. Jake Taylor connected with Pat Kavanagh on one of the most perfect plays you will see all season with a behind-the-back pass and a behind-the-back shot.
The Duke Blue Devils played with a solid team effort but it just was not enough to defeat the Fighting Irish on Sunday. Dyson Williams recorded three goals, while Charles Balsamo and Aidan Danenza both had two scores a piece.
Syracuse 16 Princeton 13 – Box Score
Syracuse finds another way to keep their season alive by defeating Ivy League Princeton by three. Freshman Joey Spallina continues to have an incredible season with four goals and five assists. Cole Kirst and Finn Thomson also recorded three goals a piece. Will Mark has been outstanding in cage for the Orange this season. Mark continues to be one of the best goalkeepers in the country as he saved another 17 shots vs. Princeton to secure a 57% save rate.
Coulter Mackesy led the way for the Princeton Tigers with three goals himself. Michael Gianforcaro had a near 50% save percentage with 15 stops. According to The People’s top 20 rankings, despite the loss, Princeton remains in consideration with a record of 4-5.
Drexel 15 Stony Brook 14 (OT) – Box Score
Drexel defeats Stony Brook in a thriller behind a Sean Donnelly five goal performance. Max Semple put up two goals and two assists in the Dragon’s win. At faceoff, Justin Joseph recorded a 65% win rate for Drexel. On the Stony Brook side, Jonathan Huber scored five times on eight shots and midfielder Matt Anderson added another three goals.