The ACC has been consistently one of the best conferences in college lacrosse, year in and year out. The second consistency in the ACC is the unpredictability of which team will rise to the top. This year, especially, any of the four teams in the ACC lacrosse tournament could win the whole thing. And this isn’t just a hypothetical scenario where nine or ten things need to happen for a wild outcome. The reality is, any of these teams can beat the other given the right circumstances. The 2025 ACC lacrosse tournament is going to be absolute cinema, as the outcomes are truly unknown.
#1 Notre Dame vs #4 Syracuse
(Friday, May 2nd @ 5:00 PM)
Notre Dame, coming off back-to-back national championships, graduated a lot of talent. Many people wrote them off from making it back to Memorial Day weekend, especially after early-season losses against Maryland and Ohio State. Since those losses, the team is 5-1, with their only loss coming against Syracuse. The Orange currently hold a 9-5 record but split their conference play 2-2. Early-season losses against Maryland and Harvard certainly hurt the team’s morale, and a three-game losing streak to end the regular season against Cornell, Duke, and North Carolina didn’t help. Syracuse fans are probably a little worried right now, as coming off three consecutive losses into the postseason is mentally tough.
Syracuse got the best of Notre Dame just a few weeks ago in a 14-9 affair. The difference-maker was the second quarter, where Syracuse scored six unanswered goals and held Notre Dame scoreless for nearly three full quarters. Notre Dame scored their third goal of the game in the first quarter with 11 minutes remaining and wouldn’t score their fourth until the end of the third quarter, with a minute left. It was an absolutely unreal defensive run that I’m not sure can be replicated again. Syracuse shot the ball 43 times compared to Notre Dame’s 33, with both teams having around 10 saves apiece. It is alarming that Syracuse was able to win the game despite going 19-for-28 on clears. That 30-minute defensive stand from the Orange was the defining factor, despite what any of the other numbers may say.
Looking ahead to their upcoming matchup, these are two of the best teams in the country on paper. Both teams are nearly identical on offense, averaging close to 14 goals per game, putting them in the upper echelon of not just ACC lacrosse but Division I lacrosse as well. The defenses have been spectacular too, with Notre Dame getting the slight edge, averaging 8.5 goals per game compared to Syracuse’s 9.5. I am most looking forward to watching the face-off battle, as Notre Dame holds a 56% win percentage, while Syracuse sits at 58%. This game is going to be an absolute war, as both teams know what’s at stake and check all the boxes, showcasing very few vulnerabilities to be exploited.
Predicting the outcome of this game is truly a nightmare. These teams are so evenly matched on paper with stars across the board who can make big plays. Despite Syracuse winning the first time around, they only won that game because of that 30-minute defensive stretch— not to take anything away from that, but I doubt they’ll be able to replicate that again, as it was truly an anomaly. That leads me to lean toward Notre Dame, as they’ve come off back-to-back national championships and always seem to get the job done when needed, compared to Syracuse, who consistently loses big games despite their hype and talent. I’m expecting a back-and-forth battle, but with Notre Dame coming out on top.
Prediction: Notre Dame 14 – Syracuse 11
#2 North Carolina vs #3 Duke
(Friday, May 2nd @ 8:00 PM)
North Carolina squaring off with Duke in the postseason feels like a script made in heaven. North Carolina is having one of their best years in recent history, sitting with a 10-3 record. Those three losses came against Princeton, Army, and Notre Dame. Other than that, the Tar Heels have been nothing short of spectacular all season long. Many fans, including myself, felt that Duke was going to have a down year in 2025, but that could not have been more wrong. Duke only has two losses to top teams— Princeton in a one-goal affair back in February, and the other two against Denver and Notre Dame in late March. Duke’s fourth loss came in a tight matchup against the Tar Heels just a few weeks ago.
When the Tar Heels traveled down the road to face the Blue Devils, I don’t think anyone knew how much of a treat we were in for. The low-scoring game saw Duke with the lead at halftime, 5-3. North Carolina was able to put up a huge third quarter, outscoring Duke 4-1. The fourth quarter only saw one goal apiece by both squads, leading to an 8-7 final score in favor of the Tar Heels. On paper, both teams were dead even in just about every category. They had identical shots at 36 each and identical saves at 12. North Carolina secured 10 face-offs compared to Duke’s 9 and edged the Blue Devils in ground balls, 30-27. One of the only major discrepancies was North Carolina’s ability to clear the ball perfectly, while Duke went just 20-for-26. It was a masterclass performance from everyone involved, especially considering the rivalry between both schools.
On the year, both teams have been elite in the stats book. North Carolina’s offense is terrifying, averaging 13.4 goals per game, with Duke trailing slightly behind at 12.1. North Carolina’s defense has also gained an edge, averaging only 8.6 goals per game, compared to Duke’s 9.6. The Tar Heels have been on another level when it comes to face-offs, winning 64% of their draws, whereas Duke has won a modest 53%. Despite North Carolina having the edge in these three categories, the margins are small, and the rivalry will bring out the best in both teams.
When it comes to predicting a winner, it feels like it’s North Carolina’s year. The team has worked far too hard to get to this point to drop the ball now, and there’s a true love and brotherhood within that locker room. The Blue Devils are going to throw everything they can at the Tar Heels, but I believe North Carolina can handle the storm. Give me UNC making it to the ACC lacrosse championship game!
Prediction: North Carolina 11 – Duke 9
