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Syracuse returned to Inside Lacrosse’s top 20 in the weekly rankings update following an upset win over then-No. 11 Duke.

The Orange were unranked for back-to-back weeks for the first time since May 2012 after losing to Johns Hopkins and beating Stony Brook. But a 14-10 home victory over the Blue Devils propelled SU back to No. 18.

Syracuse jumped out to an early 5-1 lead by the end of the first quarter, but it allowed Duke to pull within one goal by the end of the third period. That’s when Tucker Dordevic took over.

The star attack either scored or assisted on all six of Syracuse’s goals after halftime, and he delivered a stunning highlight play midway through the fourth quarter. Longstick midfielder Landon Clary forced a turnover and carried the ball from box to box before dishing a pass to Dordevic. The attack was facing his own net, but in Gary Gait-esque fashion, he leapt and threw a between-the-legs shot for the goal.

“That’s a high percentage shot for him,” Gait said of the goal. “It was a reactionary shot — that’s what you need to do in that situation. The fact the pass was aloft, he reacted and made that play. … That comes from practicing and just making the play.”

At No. 18, Syracuse is still the lowest ranked Atlantic Coast Conference team, but Duke slipped from No. 11 to No. 16 with the defeat, and Notre Dame dropped from No. 10 to No. 15 with its 12-8 defeat to Virginia. 

Syracuse is now back at .500 on the season and will travel to South Bend, Indiana, to face the Fighting Irish on Saturday afternoon.

Published on March 28, 2022 at 12:41 pm

Contact Roshan: rferna04@syr.edu | @Roshan_f16