The Orange are back home and back in conference play for a Sunday matinee with the Irish.
Coming off their big, mid-week win over Loyola, the Syracuse Orange are back home this weekend looking to continue the momentum of their 2-0 road trip.
They’ll be facing an opponent with a little forward momentum of their own, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish come to town riding a three-game winning streak.
The two programs have played each other at least once every season since 1998, ‘Cuse’s inaugural season. The Orange and Irish are set for an opening draw at 12 PM on ACC Network Extra.
Back in the Dome ➡️ tomorrow ️
️ https://t.co/lmgfJAygnr pic.twitter.com/VWKMrvned8
— Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse (@CuseWLAX) March 22, 2025
- All-time series: 32nd meeting; Syracuse leads, 23-8
- Last meeting: Syracuse W, 16-14, on February 24, 2024
- Syracuse this season: 6-4 overall, 2-2 ACC
- Notre Dame this season: 6-4 overall, 1-3 ACC
Notre Dame has won three games in a row, most recently on Wednesday against No. 23 Harvard, their only win this season against a ranked opponent.
The Irish are 5-0 this year against unranked teams, and 1-4 against ranked teams with their win over Harvard and losses to Northwestern, Clemson, Duke and Boston College.
Scouting Notre Dame
Notre Dame is a team that shares a lot of DNA with Syracuse this year after graduating a couple classes full of major contributors and all-time program greats. Like the Orange, they’re a young team on the offensive end. But they differ in terms of having a veteran-laden defense that is the strength of the team.
The Irish’s scoring defense ranks 12th in the country and third in the ACC giving up only 8.9 goals per game, while they’re tied for third in the ACC with 9.6 caused turnovers per game.
Their anchor is senior goalie Isabel Pithie (80SV), who’s having a wonderful season with an 8.43 GAA and a 51.3 save percentage. Those numbers are good for eighth nationally in GAA and tied for 13th in save percent.
The defense that helps her hold it down is comprised primarily of returning upperclassmen, including junior Abigail Lyons (13GB, 19CT), senior Grace Weigand (18GB, 12CT) and senior Julia Carr (8GB, 11CT). They’re a veteran group that’s been together for years who will provide a stern test for this fledgling Syracuse offense.
On the other end, they’re led by a freshman in Madison Rassas (28G, 4A, 29DC), who leads the team in goals, points and is tied for the team lead in draw controls. She’s scored at least a hat trick in six of her first 10 collegiate games.
She’s surrounded by a quintet of double-digit goal scorers for the Irish offense in Kathryn Morrissey (17G, 8A), Kristen Shanahan (16G, 9A), Emma Murphy (16G, 4A), Kate Timarky (18G) and Angie Conley (10G, 6A).