NCAA Lacrosse Tournament: A Deep Dive into the Semifinals and Beyond

The road to the NCAA men’s lacrosse championship is paved with upsets, thrilling victories, and intense rivalries. The 2025 tournament promises to be no different, with the semifinals shaping up to be a clash of titans. Every game will be available for fans on ESPN platforms. Let's delve into the key matchups, analyze the participating teams, and explore the factors that will determine who emerges victorious.

Semifinal Showdowns: A Preview

The 2025 Division I men's lacrosse tournament semifinals are set after a chaotic quarterfinals. The semifinals feature compelling matchups: No. 1 Cornell vs. No. 5 Penn State and No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 6 Syracuse.

No. 1 Cornell vs. No. 5 Penn State: A Rematch with Revenge on the Line

No. 1 Cornell entered the tournament as the team to beat, led by Tewaaraton Award frontrunner CJ Kirst. The Big Red cruised past Albany 15-6 in the first round, displaying the dominance fans have grown accustomed to. The top seed did have its struggles in the quarterfinals against a red-hot Richmond squad, sneaking past the Spiders, 13-12, to earn a semifinals spot. Cornell rallied back, scoring four goals in the fourth quarter and preventing Richmond from getting a shot off in the closing seconds. Cornell gets its rematch. The Nittany Lions are the only blemish on the Big Red's 16-1 record, defeating Cornell 13-12 in overtime on March 8. Penn State, boasting the nation's eighth-ranked defense, had a game plan to stop Kirst, and while other teams have tried, the Nittany Lions actually executed it. PSU is causing over 10 turnovers per game, led by senior long pole Kevin Parnham, who is eighth in the nation with 1.93 caused turnovers per game. But on the flip side, Cornell wants revenge, and its top-ranked offense is averaging over 17 goals a game over its last four contests.

This game pits Cornell's top-ranked offense against Penn State's stout defense. The Nittany Lions are the only team to have defeated the Big Red this season, a 13-12 overtime thriller on March 8th. Penn State's defense, ranked eighth nationally, successfully executed a game plan to contain CJ Kirst, the Tewaaraton Award frontrunner. They force over 10 turnovers per game, led by Kevin Parnham. However, Cornell's offense is averaging over 17 goals in their last four games and will be looking for revenge.

No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 6 Syracuse: Offense vs. Defense

No. 2 Maryland also cruised to the quarterfinals, beating Air Force 13-5 to match up with a hungry Georgetown team that had just upset No. 7 seed Duke in the first round. No. 6 Syracuse had the toughest path to Foxborough, edging out Harvard 13-12 in overtime in the first round before topping No. 3 Princeton 19-18 in a shootout. The Orange trailed 11-6 with 10 minutes to play before scoring six unanswered to take a 12-11 lead with three minutes remaining. Two of the most prestigious programs in lacrosse face off for a spot in the title game. Maryland got the best of the Orange in their regular season matchup, holding Syracuse's sixth-ranked scoring offense to half its season average in the 11-7 win. Similar to the other semifinal matchup, this will be a top offense versus a top defense. Maryland has allowed just 11 goals all tournament, while Syracuse has scored 32. Spallina leads the Cuse attack with 89 points on the season (3rd in the nation), and he and Owen Hiltz (72 points) have been on fire through the first two tournament games. The Terps play sound team defense led by Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Will Schaller. Syracuse does have a key advantage in the midfield circle with John Mullen, who leads the nation in face off wins (274). If Mullen is on Saturday, the Cuse will have an advantage in possession.

This contest features a clash between Maryland's dominant defense and Syracuse's high-powered offense. Maryland has allowed a mere 11 goals throughout the tournament, showcasing their defensive prowess led by Will Schaller. Syracuse, on the other hand, has tallied 32 goals, fueled by Joey Spallina (89 points) and Owen Hiltz (72 points). Syracuse's John Mullen, the nation's leader in face-off wins (274), provides a crucial advantage in possession. Maryland's defense is its identity, ranking #3 in the country in scoring defense. This team rarely beats itself. They are masters of restarts and win the inches. The LSM group-Jack McDonald and AJ Larkin-is excellent. Close defender Will Schaller is a burly lockdown artist.

Key Teams and Their Journeys

Cornell Big Red: Aiming for Their First Title Since 1977

Cornell has the nation’s #1 scoring offense and the best player in the game: lefty scorer CJ Kirst. Thirteen seniors were part of the runner-up finish in 2022. The Big Red hasn’t won the national title since 1977 and have lost five finals along the way (1978, 1987, 1988, 2009, 2022). The offense is elite with Ryan Goldstein and Michael Long flanking Kirst on attack. Ball movement has been dazzling. Midfielder Hugh Kelleher, a PLL draft pick on Tuesday night, is a north-south Mack truck dodger. Cornell plays a boatload of SSDMs and LSMs and utilized both man-to-man and zone schemes against Yale. Their slide and recovery patterns were dreadful in that Ivy semifinal, but those areas looked cleaned up in the Ivy final win against Princeton. Goalie Wyatt Knust, a bouncy lefty from Tampa, Florida, is battle-tested and clutch. This veteran team feels like they’re on a mission, and coach Connor Buczek knows how to navigate the road to Boston, having led the Big Red to the 2022 title game, falling to Maryland 9-7 on Memorial Day.

Maryland Terrapins: Hunting for Their 11th Final Four

Terps coach John Tillman is hunting his 11th Final Four in year #14. He’s an incredible 10-1 in the NCAA quarterfinal round. Maryland lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten final. Goalie Logan McNaney is Mr. May. His story is featured in “Game On,” which includes segments on CJ Kirst, Syracuse, and Notre Dame.

Syracuse Orange: Seeking a Return to Glory

Syracuse hasn’t been to Championship Weekend since 2013. The ACC Tournament champs are led by junior attackman Joey Spallina and PLL draft picks Owen Hiltz, Sam English, and defender Michael Grace. Goalie Jimmy McCool is trending in the right direction.

Penn State Nittany Lions: The Dark Horse Contender

No. 5 Penn State has played in tight matchups all tournament, winning each of its games by just two goals. But it was the quarterfinals where Penn State proved it belonged, knocking off the back-to-back national champions 14-12 with an incredible fourth quarter rally. It looked like Notre Dame was destined for its third consecutive semifinal appearance, carrying a three-goal lead into the fourth. But everything came together for the Nittany Lions in the final 15 minutes. The Nittany Lions defeated Colgate in the first game of their season, a year after losing to the Red Raiders. PSU is led by Matt Traynor, Kyle Lehman, Alex Ross, and goalie Jack Fracyon. Freshman midfielder Hunter Aquino has cooled off lately and needs to bust through the freshman wall. If Penn State can make this a half-field game, they’ll win.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

Underdog Stories and Key Matchups from Earlier Rounds

Albany Great Danes: America East Champions

Albany defeated Bryant 12-7 for the first time since 2015 on their way to the America East AQ. The Danes played in the 2018 Final Four. They are a five-time quarterfinalist and appeared in the 2024 bracket, defeating Sacred Heart in the play-in game before losing to Notre Dame 14-9.

Robert Morris Colonials: NEC Champions

Robert Morris beat Detroit Mercy 17-8, capturing the NEC automatic bid.

Richmond Spiders: A10 Champions

The Spiders captured the A10 and make their sixth tourney appearance after ending the regular season with eight consecutive wins. They haven’t lost since March 15 and are battle-tested in 2025 with wins over Georgetown and Virginia, and close losses to Maryland, Duke (OT), and Cornell, 12-11. Richmond ranks in the top 10 in both scoring offense and defense. They allow opponents just 27 shots per game. Quarterback Aidan O’Neil and defender Hunter Smith are the marquee names.

Towson Tigers: CAA Champions

Towson earned their second consecutive CAA title last weekend. The Tigers (11-5) began the year at 1-5 and have since won ten straight. The defense is most responsible for league success. Ronan Fitzpatrick scored five times in the championship game win over Drexel. Towson lost at Syracuse 20-15 in the 2025 NCAA first round after putting a scare into the Orange.

Army Black Knights: Patriot League Champions

Army upset Colgate in the Patriot League semifinals and kept it rolling with an emphatic win over BU to grab the AQ. They haven’t been to the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament since 2015. Their ten-man ride and pressure defense can be overwhelming. The offense is #3 nationally in scoring. The Connor brothers steer the offense, and goalie Matt LaCombe was a brick wall in the Patriot League tournament.

Georgetown Hoyas: Big East Champions

The Hoyas took the Big East AQ as Nova slid recklessly and got diced by ball movement. That’s an amazing seven straight league titles. GT coach Kevin Warne, who played for John Danowski at Hofstra, saw his offense shoot 45% in two wins last weekend. Aidan Carroll had a career day with eight goals and ten points. Fulton Bayman has been terrific after graduating from ND. Georgetown can pass. Guessing that the Duke defense will be slow to slide/double and force Georgetown to score unassisted goals. Seventy-five percent of Hoya goals are assisted.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Big Ten Champions

The Buckeyes (14-2) grabbed their first Big Ten title with a win over Maryland last Saturday night. They played in the 2017 national title game but haven’t won an NCAA playoff game since. Ohio State picked up a win over Notre Dame in South Bend earlier this season. Goalie Caleb Fyock-aka Big Tasty-leads the country in save percentage. Coach Nick Myers pulled talent out of the transfer portal, and his offense is diverse and deep with contributors like Alex Marinier, Liam White, Garrett Haas, and Jack McKenna.

Harvard Crimson: Upset Specialists

Crimson upset Syracuse in the Dome earlier this season despite not winning face-offs. The Harvard ride has teeth. Harvard hasn’t won an NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament game since 1996. Sam King, Jack Speidell, and athletic midfielders Owen Gaffney, Logan Ip, and Miles Botkiss play an aggressive style in settled situations, ranking #6 nationally in scoring. That group looked hesitant against Princeton’s zone defense in the Ivy semifinal.

Princeton Tigers: Ivy League Finalists

Princeton lost to Cornell in the Ivy League final. The Tigers have dropped two consecutive NCAA first round games. This senior class played in the 2022 Final Four in Connecticut. The offense is one of the nation’s best. They heavily rely on two-man games. There is an abundance of skill with players like Coulter Mackesy, Nate Kabiri, Chad Palumbo, and Tucker Wade. While it appears as if the defense tightened later in the season, the jury is still out on whether that was due to true improvement or the declining quality of opponents faced in the lower half of the Ivy League. They have played both man and zone schemes on defense but rely heavily on goalie Ryan Croddick. Face-off success has too often been sold separately. With a track record of playing poorly in the first round and coming off two hard games last weekend, this Tiger

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Looking to Rebound

CFP National Championship rematch on the lacrosse field in front of an ESPN2 audience-what more could you ask for? This pairing in the first round could easily be a final or semifinal-quality matchup. Grab the Hefty bag and clean out your locker. The Irish rank in the top ten in scoring offense and defense but have been prone to lengthy scoring droughts over the last month. Midfield production and offensive flow have been disjointed and inconsistent. Chris Kavanagh is the spark, but he may be silenced by Bobby Van Buren. Midfielder Jordan Faison, splitting time between spring football and lacrosse, has not had the same impact this season. Notre Dame has excellent short stick defensive midfielders and stopper Shawn Lyght down low. Goalie Thomas Ricciardelli was dropping, flopping, and guessing low in the ACC Tournament-which can be corrected in practice this week.

Factors to Watch

Key Player Matchups: The individual battles between star players, such as CJ Kirst vs. Penn State's top defenders or Joey Spallina vs. Maryland's Will Schaller, will significantly impact the outcomes.
Face-Off Dominance: Possession is crucial in lacrosse, and the ability to win face-offs, as demonstrated by Syracuse's John Mullen, can provide a significant advantage.
Defensive Strategies: The effectiveness of defensive schemes, such as Penn State's plan to contain Kirst or Maryland's overall defensive strength, will be a key determinant of success.
Goaltending: Clutch performances from goalies like Maryland's Logan McNaney or Cornell's Wyatt Knust can swing the momentum of a game.
Offensive Efficiency: Teams that can capitalize on scoring opportunities and avoid prolonged droughts, like Cornell and Syracuse, will be in a strong position to advance.

tags: #ncaa #lacrosse #tournament #predictions