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Syracuse hasn’t lost a game in over a month. Since its defeat on March 5 against then-No. 12 Stony Brook, SU has been red hot, starting undefeated in Atlantic Coast Conference play and riding an eight-game winning streak.

In its last two ACC matchups, Syracuse has played the two teams at the bottom of the conference standings. First, it was a 22-12 drubbing over Louisville on March 30. A week later, at Cicero-North Syracuse High School, the Orange rode a 12-1 halftime lead to a victory over last-place Pittsburgh.

With two games to go in the regular season, Syracuse has two conference matchups left. Before it closes the season versus Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Syracuse first travels to Clemson. The Tigers are undefeated in nonconference play but have struggled against ACC foes, defeating just Duke and Virginia Tech through seven matchups.

Here’s everything to know about Clemson (9-5, 2-4 ACC) before it faces No. 2 Syracuse (11-3, 7-0 ACC):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 1-0.

Last time they played…

In the first-ever matchup between the two teams, then-No. 1 Syracuse hosted Clemson at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. SU bounced back from an early 1-0 deficit to gain a 6-2 lead after the first quarter. The Orange led the rest of the way, winning 19-10.

Olivia Adamson led the way with seven points (three goals and four assists) while Emma Ward and Meaghan Tyrrell tallied six and five points, respectively. Adamson excelled in the draw control circle, posting a career-high 14 wins. The victory extended SU’s winning streak to 14 at the time.

The Tigers report

The Tigers are in their second year of existence as a Division I program and have had similar results to their inaugural season. Clemson finished sixth in the ACC in 2023 and now sits in seventh place with two games to go.

However, newcomers Claire Bockstie and Natalie Shurtleff have emerged as top threats in their first seasons with Clemson. Bockstie has 52 points after transferring from UMBC while freshman Shurtleff is averaging 2.36 points per game.

Emily Lamparter and Krissy Kowalski have split time in the cage for the second straight season, posting a combined 47.9% save percentage. Clemson’s save percentage ranks fourth in the nation, according to Lacrosse Reference, a high mark compared to Syracuse’s No. 23 overall ranking.

The Tigers could give SU trouble in the draw circle. Clemson ranks 10th in the nation in draw control percentage, according to Lacrosse Reference. The Tigers have multiple threats on draws, including Megan Halczuk and Ella Little, who each have over 40 wins. Though Syracuse’s Kate Mashewske has been playing her best lacrosse recently, totaling 12 or more wins in four of her last five games.

Cindy Zhang | Digital Design Director

How Syracuse beats Clemson

Syracuse simply has to get ahead early. Yes, it sounds redundant as its last three games have featured first-quarter leads such as 6-4 versus Louisville, 5-1 against Cornell and, most recently, 7-1 over Pitt. But it’s how the Orange have beat up on inferior teams as of late to reach eight straight wins.

And against Clemson, likely one of SU’s final unranked opponents of the season, the plan stays the same. Syracuse’s skill should overmatch its opponent early and often.

This game should simply serve as a tuneup before Syracuse’s biggest game of the season versus Boston College, a chance to go undefeated in conference play. If the Orange continue to win draws and score early, the Tigers should be no match for them.

Stat to know: -28

Clemson has struggled against ranked opponents this season, posting a -28 scoring differential. Against then-No. 14 Virginia, the Tigers fell by six. Versus then-No. 8 North Carolina, the Tigers were dominated, losing by nine. They played a hard-fought game versus then-No. 5 Notre Dame, losing in overtime. But most recently against then-No. 4 Boston College, they fell 16-4. Syracuse can take control early against Clemson and continue the trend Saturday.

Player to watch: Claire Bockstie, attack, No. 38

In her first season with Clemson, Bockstie is leading it in points, tallying 19 more than the next closest player. At UMBC, she averaged 52.75 points per season, leading the Retrievers in points as a sophomore, junior and senior.

Now a graduate student, she’s averaging 2.64 goals per game through 14 contests while dishing out 15 assists. Bockstie’s best performance of the season came in the season-opener versus Davidson, where she totaled nine points. Though she recently struggled against Boston College, scoring just one goal.

Published on April 10, 2024 at 11:33 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky