The No. 11 Yale men’s lacrosse team will open its NCAA Tournament campaign against No. 8 Syracuse, the tournament’s sixth seed, in a nationally televised game on Sunday, May 10 at the JMA Wireless Dome.
This matchup marks Yale’s return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023. The Bulldogs earned their spot after a season highlighted by strong performances and several individual honors. Head Coach Andy Shay reached his 200th career win this year, and multiple players received All-American and All-Ivy accolades throughout the season.
In their most recent outing, Yale fell to Princeton in the Ivy League Tournament semifinals with a score of 12-10. Connor Gately led Yale with three goals, while Ben Friedman made 17 saves in goal. Dylan Blekicki contributed two goals and an assist, and Luke Pascal added two goals including one that brought Yale within two late in the fourth quarter.
Yale enters postseason play leading the nation in man-up offense percentage (.600) and ranking fifth nationally in shot percentage (.340). Friedman is among national leaders with an average of over thirteen saves per game and ranks second in save percentage within the Ivy League. Gately stands out as one of the top assist providers both nationally and within his conference.
Syracuse arrives at this stage with an overall record of eleven wins and five losses (2-2 ACC), holding eighth place in national rankings according to Inside Lacrosse Media Polls. The Orange recently lost to North Carolina during ACC semifinals but feature standout players such as Joey Spallina—named ACC Offensive Player of the Year—and Finn Thomson who leads Syracuse with thirty-five goals this season.
Looking ahead, winners from this round will advance to quarterfinal games scheduled for Saturday, May 16 or Sunday, May 17.
