Instant Juice: Syracuse 11, North Carolina 10

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Syracuse defeated UNC earlier in the season

A quick take on Syracuse’s 11-10 win against North Carolina on Saturday evening:

WHAT HAPPENED: What looked like a rout turned into a  nail-biter as the Orange, down 6-3 at half and looking stymied by the Tar Heel D, stormed back to tie things up at 7 going into the fourth quarter. Syracuse took its first lead, 9-8, on a Nicky Galasso goal with 7:47 remaining, but the Tar Heels equalized, then took the lead again with just over 3 minutes to go. But Kevin Rice tied things up with 8 seconds to go, and, after a wild overtime-and-a-half, Billy Ward whipped a high shot past UNC goalkeeper Kieran Burke to give the Orange a huge victory.

» More SU Lax: Syracuse tops Cornell behind Staats’ five goals

Billy Ward's goal in overtime earned SU a berth in the ACC tournament.
Billy Ward’s goal in overtime earned SU a berth in the ACC tournament.

WHAT IT MEANS: This was an absolute stone-cold classic. The Orange secured a likely 3-seed in the 4-team ACC tournament and are riding the momentum from a string of impressive victories.

STAR GAZING: Ward and Rice share the spotlight for a pair of clutch goals to cap a furious SU comeback after the Orange went scoreless in a quarter for the first time all year. This was a wildly entertaining game, with great play on both sides.

UNC’s Jimmy Bitter scored 4 goals, and Burke was superb between the pipes, turning away a would-be game winner from Rice as the clock ran out in the first overtime.

WHAT’S NEXT: Syracuse will travel to Geneva, NY to take on upstate rival Hobart on Saturday, April 19, at 3 p.m. TV: TWCS.

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About Corey Mallonee 50 Articles
In addition to his editing duties, Corey covers the Syracuse football and basketball beat. He has previously worked in the book publishing industry and currently contributes to Syracuse University’s bE Magazine. Originally from Bangor, ME, Corey graduated from Syracuse University in 2007. Follow him on Twitter @CoreyMallonee.