SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- No. 17 Syracuse concludes the regular season at No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday, April 28. The visit marks the second time the Orange will face the Irish at Arlotta Stadium. Back in 2010, Syracuse defeated Notre Dame in the first-ever night game at the facility, 12-6.
Syracuse owns an overall record of 7-6 and is 3-2 in BIG EAST play. The Irish are 10-1 overall and 5-0 in the BIG EAST. Notre Dame has already clinched a share of the BIG EAST regular-season title. The Orange can prevent the Irish from winning it outright with a victory.
Saturday's game will be televised live nationally on ESPNU. Fans can also hear the action live on the radio home of the Orange - TK 99 (99.5 FM) in Syracuse. Live streaming audio is available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access.
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT FIELD SET The field for the inaugural BIG EAST Championship, which takes place on May 3 and 5 at Villanova Stadium, has already been determined. Notre Dame is the top seed and will play No. 4 seed St. John’s in the first semifinal. Syracuse is the No. 3 seed and will face second-seeded Villanova in the second semifinal.
The tournament champion will receive the league’s automatic berth in this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
IN THE CLEAR The Orange is clearing the ball at a rate of 88 percent (234-266) this season, which is on pace to be the second-best mark in school history (clearing statistics date back to 1983). Last year’s squad owns the single-season record for clearing percentage at 91.8 percent (345-376). At the opposite end of the field, the Orange has harassed its opponents into an 80.1 clearing success rate (225-281). SU FIFTH NATIONALLY IN CAUSED TURNOVERS The Orange ranks fifth in the NCAA in caused turnovers per game (9.38). Syracuse has recorded 122 caused turnovers this season and has reached double digits in the statistic six times in 2012. Detroit leads nation in caused turnovers at 11.15 per game.
PALASEK REACHES CENTURY MARK Senior Tommy Palasek (Rocky Point, N.Y.) recorded his 100th career point on April 21 with an assist on SU’s opening goal against Georgetown. The Rocky Point, N.Y. has exactly 50 goals and 50 assists in 58 career games, including his two seasons at Johns Hopkins. Palasek scored his 50th career goal in SU’s 13-12 win at Hobart on April 17.
MEGILL SELECTED AS A NOMINEE FOR TEWAARATON AWARD Junior defenseman Brian Megill (Clark, N.J.) has been selected as a nominee for the 2012 Tewaaraton Award, presented by Panama Jack. Megill joins 24 other male college lacrosse stars on the official list of nominees released by the Tewaaraton Award Foundation on April 25. The list nominees will be pared down to five finalists whose names will be announced on May 10. An Inside Lacrosse Midseason First Team All-American, Megill leads the Orange in ground balls (48) and has caused a single-season school record 32 turnovers. His average of 2.46 caused turnovers per game ranks fourth nationally. In addition, Megill has one goal, two assists and a 52.9 faceoff winning percentage (18-34) this season.
SCOUTING NOTRE DAME The Irish are one of the hottest teams in the nation and enter this weekend with a nine-game winning streak. Notre Dame’s hasn’t lost since Feb. 26 when it fell to Penn State in overtime, 4-3. Defense has been the key to the team’s success. The Irish lead the nation in scoring defense (5.73 goals allowed per game) and man-down defense (.923). Notre Dame has given up just two extra-man goals in 26 opportunities this season. All-America goalie John Kemp leads the NCAA in save percentage (.663) and goals-against average (5.54). He’s started all 11 games and has 120 saves on the year. Kevin Randall (14 GBs, 8 CTs) anchors the Irish close defense. Randall was one of four defensemen picked to the Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-America First Team earlier this month. Offensively, attackman Sean Rogers leads the Irish in goals with 16 and ranks second on the team in points (21).
Rogers is the reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week after notching four points, including three goals, in a 10-7 win against Villanova. Midfielder Jim Marlatt is the Irish’s top scorer with 23 points, including a squad-best nine assists.
Head coach Kevin Corrigan is in his 24th season at Notre Dame and owns a 227-107 (.680) record with the Irish. Overall, he is 237-122 (.660) in 26 seasons as a college head coach. Corrigan ranks ninth among active Division I coaches in winning percentage and seventh in Division I career coaching victories. He guided the Irish to a national runner-up finish in 2010.
THE SERIES The Orange has won the previous five meetings with the Irish, including triumphs in the 2001 NCAA semifinals (12-5) and the 2008 NCAA quarterfinals (11-9). Syracuse is 1-0 in games played in South Bend, beating the Irish in the first night game at Arlotta Stadium, 12-6, in 2010. Last season, the Orange defeated the top-ranked Irish at the Carrier Dome, 11-8.
UP NEXT ... Syracuse will face Villanova in the semifinals of the inaugural BIG EAST Championship on Thursday, May 3 at 7 p.m. inside Villanova Stadium.
Press release provided by SU Athletics
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