📈 SYRACUSE'S SHOT AT NO. 1

After falling to Boston University last Friday night, Army’s three-week run as the No. 1 team in The People’s Top 20 has come to an end. Now, Notre Dame is back on top.

Here’s how our rankings shake out this week…

The Irish are 5-1, and their only loss came in overtime against Georgetown on Feb. 25. They’ve since picked up three straight wins over Maryland, Ohio State and Michigan. We know they can handle Big Ten opponents, but now it’s time for the real tests in ACC play.

On Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame hosts Syracuse at Arlotta Stadium. The Orange also have not lost a game in the month of March, and they’ve already flexed their muscles in the ACC with a dominant win over Duke last week.

This is a huge moment for Syracuse (9-2). Over the past three seasons, the Irish have won five straight over the Orange and outscored them, on average, by more than 10 goals per game.

An upset win on the road against the reigning National Champions would silence the doubters and probably put Gary Gait’s up-and-coming Syracuse squad at No. 1 in every poll.

🧐 Drip King Stick Check Controversy

Last Friday, UMass face-off specialist Caleb Hammett had a potential game-winning goal wiped off the board due to an unexpected stick check called by Brown head coach Mike Daly. The broadcast did not fully explain the infraction, so we decided to break down the moment on YouTube.

Watch the full breakdown below.

Hammett, also known as “Drip King,” allegedly failed the stick check because he touched the head of the stick before officials began the inspection. He had to serve a one-minute penalty, his goal was taken off the board, and Brown went on to win the game by a final score of 11-10.

This moment started an entire conversation around whether it’s ever fair to call a stick check on a face-off guy. Many fans believe Daly broke an unwritten rule by calling for one on Hammett, while others believe it’s just part of the game.

❄️ Snow Lacrosse is Awesome

A blizzard hit the northeast United States over the weekend, but that didn’t stop teams from playing through the blinding snowstorm. In fact, the weather yielded some pretty epic moments.

Check out this game-winning goal, for example, scored by LIU’s Owen Stefanko to take down Siena in overtime…

The weather also led to some funny moments, like this ESPN+ cameraman clearing a pile of snow so viewers could see the action in the Dartmouth-Penn game.

Lacrosse is generally considered a “spring” sport, but this blizzard reminded us how awesome the game can be when it’s played in a wintery setting.

🤯 Crazy High Point Comeback

On Saturday, High Point beat North Carolina in one of the wildest upsets of the year. The Panthers scored seven unanswered goals in the final 17 minutes of the game, including this absolutely ridiculous game-winner from Brayden Mayea to Jack Sawyer.

Before this game, High Point had never defeated North Carolina. Both teams now sit at 6-4 on the season, but they are headed in opposite directions. The Panthers look to take this momentum into Atlantic 10 play, while the Tar Heels may be headed into an ugly stretch against their ACC rivals.

📺 Midweek TV & Streaming Info

NCAA streaming info courtesy of Inside Lacrosse (all times Eastern):

Tuesday, March 26:
7 p.m. — Le Moyne at Yale (ESPN+)

Wednesday, March 27:
12 p.m. — Canisius at Siena (ESPN+)
12 p.m. — Cleveland State at Jacksonville (ESPN+)
12 p.m. — VMI at Mount St. Mary’s (ESPN+)
3 p.m. — Boston U at Duke (ACCNX)
3 p.m. — LIU at Wagner (Wagner All-Access)
4 p.m. — Quinnipiac at Manhattan (Jaspers Sports Network)
7 p.m. — Marist at Sacred Heart (ESPN+)