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COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Before what’s forecasted to be a rainy, sub-40-degree afternoon Saturday for Syracuse’s top-10 matchup versus Maryland, Gary Gait pinned why UMD head coach John Tillman is built for this setting.

Gait said Tillman focuses on execution, discipline and controlling time-of-possession. Prior to the NCAA’s 2019 implementation of a shot clock, holding the ball for long stretches to let the clock run out was a fairly common strategy for UMD under Tillman. Gait joked that Tillman likes games to end near a scoreline of 5-4.

So, for a team that prides itself on offensive firepower facing a squad known for its suffocating playstyle, Saturday’s weather suits Tillman’s program over Gait’s. In a press conference Thursday, SU’s head coach acknowledged the Orange haven’t beaten the Terrapins since 2009. Gait himself is 0-3 against Tillman. But he’s confident his current group can right SU’s previous wrongs.

“I think we’re different this year than we were last year,” Gait said. “We’re a smarter team, I think we have more experience, and I think we can go into this game feeling a little bit different.”

Ahead of No. 2 Syracuse’s (3-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) showdown against No. 6 Maryland (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten), here’s a look back at the Orange’s last three meetings with the Terrapins:

Feb. 20, 2022: Syracuse 10, Maryland 14

Gait’s first loss as SU’s men’s head coach came to Tillman. The then-No. 9 Orange fell in a valiant effort against then-No. 1 UMD, though inconsistent offense and a nightmarish start sealed SU’s fate.

The Terrapins jumped out to a 5-0 lead over a minute into the second quarter, spurred by a pair of goals from attack Logan Wisnauskas. Three goals apiece from Syracuse attack Tucker Dordevic and midfielder Lucas Quinn, however, helped the Orange get back to a 9-8 deficit heading into the fourth quarter.

But Syracuse lost the fourth quarter 5-2, ultimately dropping the contest 14-10 as Wisnauskas’ four-goal outing was too much to overcome. For Gait, he lamented the Orange’s need to finish their opportunities. The head coach felt it was one that got away, considering that faceoff man Jakob Phaup won nine of his first 15 attempts and SU’s defense forced nine first-half turnovers. Though, that early game lull made it a challenging game of catch-up.

“That’s the difference in the game, right? Spot them five and then you fight, spend the whole game trying to get close,” Gait said postgame.
Syracuse fell firmly out of the national rankings weeks after its loss to Maryland en route to a 4-10 2022 campaign.

Feb. 18, 2023: Syracuse 12, Maryland 15

The Orange kept matters close with the Terrapins again, though still came up short for yet another first loss of the season. Then-No. 18 Syracuse was defeated 15-12 by then-No. 9 Maryland in College Park.

Maryland got off to a fast start and led 9-5 at halftime. But the Orange left their offense little chance of materializing a comeback: they lost the ground-ball battle 46-25, and SU’s Johnny Richiusa-led faceoff group lost 24-of-31 faceoffs. Then-freshman Joey Spallina was held to one goal and one assist, while Jackson Birtwistle led Syracuse with three goals.

Daniel Kelly, who the Orange will face again Saturday, carried the Terrapins with a masterful six-point performance. A solid offensive showing from SU nearly matched Kelly and Co.’s production, but Maryland was far superior in every facet of the game.

This loss to UMD exposed SU for what it was in 2023: not an NCAA Tournament team. The Orange received three easy tests to begin the year (Vermont, UAlbany and Holy Cross) and won them all with ease. Yet — beginning with its wake-up call in Maryland — Syracuse dropped its next four games, including to then-No. 12 North Carolina, then-No. 6 Duke and then-No. 10 Johns Hopkins, for a season-worst four-game losing streak.

Maryland short-stick midfielder George Stamos celebrates moments after scoring the game-winning goal in the Terrapins’ 13-12 overtime victory over Syracuse on Feb. 17, 2024. SU’s Michael Leo had a goal disallowed via video review before Stamos netted the deciding goal. Aidan Groeling | Staff Photographer

Feb. 17, 2024: Syracuse 12, Maryland 13 (OT)

Last year’s edition of Gait versus Tillman concluded with the most controversial finish to a game in 2024. Then-No. 5 SU lost a thrilling overtime affair to then-No. 4 UMD 13-12, in a contest that nearly became Gait’s biggest win helming the program. And it all came down to video review.

Late in overtime, Syracuse midfielder Michael Leo lunged through traffic near the cage and flicked a shot past Maryland goalie Logan McNaney. However, officials disallowed the goal, determining that Leo landed in the goal mouth — an arc inside the crease that players can’t cross.

Replay review made it clear that Leo was shoved into the goal mouth. But since the original call was no-goal, that action couldn’t be taken into account following the review, per NCAA rules.

UMD midfielder George Stamos buried the game-winning goal seconds after play resumed.

“There’s already lots of conversation about it,” Gait said postgame of video review’s limitations. “I’m sure it will be addressed next summer when the rules committee gets back together again.”

Tillman is the chair of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee. He said as recently as last April that he wants the Big Ten Conference to adopt replay review like the ACC has.

As much as last year’s finish can be debated, the Orange still lost. Gait wasn’t pleased with the ending. Yet it would’ve been tough to win regardless with Spallina being held to three points by former star long pole Ajax Zappitello and SU’s faceoff man last year, Mason Kohn, posting a then-season-low 44% faceoff win rate. The Orange started slow in this contest, too, trailing 5-2 after 15 minutes.

That can’t happen if Syracuse wants Saturday’s game to be settled on the field instead of a replay booth.

Published on February 15, 2025 at 12:31 am

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews