Both No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 5 Syracuse entered this afternoon’s contest on the heels of one-goal losses to ACC foes in the nation’s most unpredictable conference. The Irish got back into the win column and secured their first ACC victory of the season in dominant fashion. 

Pat Kavanagh paved the way for the upset. The sophomore attackman tied his career high and a program record with nine points (four goals, five assists) in the 18-11 win. It was Notre Dame’s first victory at the Carrier Dome since April 2, 2016. Kavanagh also collected six ground balls. His linemates Griffin Westlin and Will Yorke each contributed four goals. 

With the win, Kevin Corrigan tied Delaware’s Bob Shillinglaw for the most wins ever at a single Division I program (310). 

Syracuse led 6-2 early in the second quarter after Brendan Curry scored on an invert. Yet, like in its last game against Virginia, Notre Dame produced a prolific second quarter. The Irish scored nine goals, including a sensational diving, no-look, over-the-shoulder effort by Kavanagh that put Notre Dame ahead 9-8. 

Can we please discuss what Pat Kavanagh just did pic.twitter.com/TClAIFTGtF

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 3, 2021

Notre Dame built an 11-8 lead heading into halftime and continued the momentum in the third quarter. The Irish scored the first three goals of the second half, and faceoff specialist Charlie Leonard capped a 7-0 run. The one-two punch of Leonard and Penn graduate transfer Kyle Gallagher at the faceoff stripe helped the Irish extend their scoring streaks and control the ground ball battle 45-20. Gallagher won 15 of 22 draws,  and Leonard went 8-for-18. The Orange turned to freshman Jake Savage (6-for-17) after Danny Varello and Jakob Phaup went a combined 3-for-15. 

Syracuse scored three straight goals to end the third quarter to cut its deficit to 14-11, but Notre Dame held the Orange scoreless in the fourth quarter while scoring four goals of its own. Yorke closed the game, and any hope of a Syracuse victory, with a natural hat trick. 

Orange fifth-year attackman Stephen Rehfuss, who was added to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List on Friday, scored three goals in the loss. 

LEHIGH OUTLASTS ARMY IN TOP-10 MATCHUP

The top-10 matchup between the two programs that pride themselves on toughness lived up to the billing at Frank Bank Field. Junior attackman Cole Kirst scored the eventual winning goal with 2:02 left to play for No. 11 Lehigh after No. 4 Army staged a valiant comeback to tie the score twice after trailing 11-7 late in the third quarter. 

Kirst finished with four goals, John Sidorski registered six points on two goals and four assists, and Christian Mule’ had three goals and an assist in the win. 

Brendan Nichtern scored five goals to go with two assists in Army’s first loss since the Black Knights’ season opener against Virginia. After a shot by Nicholas Garofano clanged off the pipe, Gunner Philipp collected the rebound and rocketed home a shot. The man-up goal tied the score at 12 with 3:16 remaining. 

Right place. Right time.

Gunner Phillip gets the bounce off the pole and absolutely RIPS the tying goal for @ArmyWP_MLax.

It’s 12-12 against Lehigh. pic.twitter.com/GDqPXUvomp

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 3, 2021

Army had an opportunity to tie the score after Kirst’s goal, but James Spence (10 saves) made a high off-stick side stop on a Garofano shot with less than 15 seconds remaining to seal the win and improve Lehigh’s record to 5-0. 

James Spence with the late denial @LehighLacrosse is celebrating after a 13-12 win over Army. pic.twitter.com/M8qmCKf8er

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 3, 2021

UMBC UPSETS VERMONT

In a clash of styles, defense reigned in the America East clash between UMBC and No. 20 Vermont. While the Catamounts’ No. 7 offense in the country averaged 15.17 goals per game, the Retrievers, who boast the No. 8 defense, held them to almost half of that output to prevail 10-8. 

The win for UMBC (5-1) is the program’s first victory over a ranked opponent since it topped No. 1 Albany on April 6, 2018. Freshman attackman Brian Tregoing entered the game with only one goal on his resume but tallied a hat trick in the win.  

The Retrievers never trailed and pulled away twice with a pair of three-goal runs. Junior midfielder Taylor Bohanan punctuated the second of those to put UMBC ahead 10-5 with 12:10 to play in the fourth on a bounce shot from the wing. 

Taylor Bohanan with a that makes it 10-5 as @UMBC_MLax goes on to top Vermont 10-8. pic.twitter.com/qGIbP84F7S

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 3, 2021

Vermont then staged a three-goal run of its own to cut the deficit to two goals but were held scoreless for the final seven minutes. While the Catamounts aim to shoot at least 50 times per game, they were outshot 40-32 by the Retrievers. Thomas Burke won 15 of 22 faceoffs for Vermont. 

BERNHARDT SETS MARYLAND CAREER GOALS RECORD ON SENIOR DAY

As he’s done so many times before, Maryland fifth-year senior attackman Jared Bernhardt created separation from his defender and found the back of the net. Only this time, on senior day against Penn State, Bernhardt’s goal etched his name in the record books. The goal with 1:39 to play in the first half gave Bernhardt the program’s all-time goals record. 

No. on his jersey, No. in the record book.

Jared Bernhardt’s 156th career goal sets the all-time @TerpsMLax record.

pic.twitter.com/yzpMXJqkly

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 3, 2021

Bernhardt entered the game needing two goals to surpass Matt Rambo’s record of 155. Bernhardt finished with five (and added three assists) to pace No. 2 Maryland’s 17-10 rout of the Nittany Lions and reinforce that the Terrapins are in a league of their own in the Big 10. Logan Wisnauskas scored four goals and surpassed the 200-point mark in the process. 

Mac O’Keefe had a hat trick in the losing effort and moved into second place outright on the NCAA’s career goals list. 

With the win, Maryland improves to 7-0 for the first time since 2014. 

For more on Bernhardt, his understated personality and his importance to the Terps, read this Saturday feature from Patrick Stevens, who was at the game.

Notable

• Connor Shellenberger dropped four goals and three assists to lead No. 6 Virginia to the 18-10 win over No. 12 Richmond.

• Adam Charalambides scored two straight goals in the final three minutes to push No. 7 Rutgers to the 10-9 victory over No. 17 Ohio State. Charalambides finished with three goals and an assist. 

• Kevin Lindley had five points on three goals and two assists to help No. 15 Loyla prevail over No. 14 Navy 14-10. Five players registered at least two or more goals for the Greyhounds. Sam Shafer got the start in goal and made 12 saves. Spencer Rees made 13 saves in the Midshipmen’s first loss of the season. 

• Sean Donnelly’s two goals and six assists fueled Drexel’s 12-11 upset of No. 16 UMass. The score was tied at 8 midway through the fourth quarter until Donnelly scored his first goal of the afternoon. He bookended a three-goal run that proved the difference. 

• In other CAA action, Hofstra bounced back from a 16-10 midweek loss to UMass to defeat Towson 8-7. Justin Sykes (three goals) scored consecutive goals less than 30 seconds apart to break open a 6-6 tie midway through the fourth quarter. 

• Bouncers will go. Utah sophomore midfielder Branden Wilson changed directions and launched a high bounce shot with 3:32 left on the clock in the second overtime period to defeat Boston University 11-10. The Terriers scored five of the final six goals in regulation to force extra time. Wilson’s second goal of the afternoon was the difference.

• Keegan Khan poured in a career-high seven goals and added two assists to pace Villanova’s 13-6 win over Providence. 

• Kevin Holtby made 23 saves to help Hobart upset No. 19 Bryant 11-10. Hobart outscored Bryant 7-3 in the second half. 

• Asher Nolting dished out eight assists in High Point’s 13-5 home win over Bellarmine. The Panthers led by one goal entering the fourth quarter but used a six-goal run to put the game out of reach. 

• Jimmy Perkins’ third goal of the afternoon came with 3:53 to play and sealed a 16-15 win for Robert Morris over Jacksonville at the Crown Lacrosse Classic. Ryan Smith, who assisted the eventual winner, led the Colonials with six goals. 

Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20

No. 2 Maryland 17, Penn State 10
No. 11 Lehigh 13, No. 4 Army 12
No. 6 Virginia 18, No. 12 Richmond 10
No. 7 Rutgers 10, No. 17 Ohio State 9
No. 9 Notre Dame 18, No. 5 Syracuse 11
No. 8 Denver 16, Marquette 6 
No. 10 Georgetown 20, St. John’s 7
No. 13 Hofstra 8, Towson 7 
No. 15 Loyola 14, Navy 10 
Drexel 12, No. 16 UMass 11
Hobart 11, No. 19 Bryant 10 
UMBC 10, No. 20 Vermont 8 

OTHER SCORES

Albany 17, UMass Lowell 6
Binghamton 11, NJIT 9 
Cleveland State 16, VMI 4
Colgate 10, Bucknell 9
High Point 11, Bellarmine 5
Mercer 15, Air Force 13
Merrimack 14, LIU 10 
Robert Morris 16, Jacksonville 15
Stony Brook 17, Hartford 6
Utah 11, Boston U 10 (2OT)
Villanova 13, Providence 6

Marist at Siena, PPD
Wagner at Saint Joseph's, PPD