Last time out, the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team used a 7-0 run to edge Virginia at home and improve to 6-3 on the season alongside a 2-1 conference mark. After their loss against Syracuse, bouncing back against the Cavaliers was a must for the Irish, though it was anything but routine on Saturday.
The game was hotly contested throughout the first two and a half quarters before Notre Dame turned the tide late in the third. Knotted at 4-4 with under four minutes remaining in the third, the momentum of the game swung on an incredible sequence, as junior netminder Thomas Ricciardelli stuffed a shot attempt on the defensive end and sprung a fast break with his outlet pass to senior midfielder Ben Ramsey, who took it to the goal himself for his first goal of the season. The capacity crowd in Arlotta Stadium was brought to life after the goal, and the Irish gave them more to cheer about.
Back-to-back highlight reel goals from senior attacker Chris Kavanagh and graduate attacker Jake Taylor, the latter’s behind-the-back effort from the ground cracking SportCenter’s Top 10, extended the lead to 7-4. Senior midfielder Jalen Seymour would cap off the quarter, scoring with 10 seconds remaining to give Notre Dame a commanding 8-4 lead heading into the final frame, one they would maintain en route to the 12-7 victory.
Notre Dame’s final ACC contest of the season will take place in Chapel Hill against No. 5 North Carolina. After narrowly edging rivals Duke in an 8-7 defensive battle, the Tar Heels improved to 9-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play, climbing seven spots in the national rankings as a result. In addition to their recent win, they boast an impressive 15-6 victory over No. 13 Michigan in their season opener as well as a dominant 18-9 display against Virginia in their ACC opener. They face tough tests with the No. 9 Irish and No. 7 Syracuse in their final two games of the season, games that will shape seeding for the fast-approaching ACC Tournament. Every game down the stretch is pivotal.
Entering his 17th season at the helm, head coach Joe Breschi’s group has markedly improved on their 7-7 record in 2024. Bringing on a pair of new coordinators and handing the keys of the offense to two freshmen, the Tar Heels were in rebuilding mode last year. In a season full of highs and lows, Breschi was encouraged by the growth of his young players, players who form the core of this year’s squad. North Carolina’s leading scorer as a freshman, Owen Duffy has hit the ground running in year two, tallying a team-high 49 points across 30 goals and 19 assists. Redshirt sophomore Dominic Pietramala, who shared more than a third of his team’s shots with Duffy last season, has been prolific in year two, leading the team with 36 goals. Moved up from defense, senior Ty English has embraced his role in the midfield, where he is the unit’s leading point-getter with 21.
Another key piece of the Tar Heel youth movement last season, Brady Wambach has dominated at the dot, the sophomore winning 167 of his 254 faceoff attempts for a .657 percentage that ranks fourth in the nation. Freshman defenseman Chase Cellucci commands the No. 4 scoring defense in the country, a unit that allows a mere 8.09 goals per game and most recently stymied a strong Blue Devil offense, holding them to seven goals. Michael Gianforcaro headlined the offseason transfer portal additions, the former Princeton goalie anchoring the elite defense with a .546 save percentage.
Face off at Dorrance Field for the ACC clash is set for Saturday at noon with ESPNU providing the broadcast.
