Takeaways from Syracuse lacrosse's 15-7 defeat to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament

The Syracuse season ended for the second straight year in the national semifinals, as the Irish capitalized in the second half against the mistake-prone Orange.

Syracuse coach Gary Gait (l), and players Billy Dwan III, Joey Spallina, and Finn Thomson speak to the media after SU fell to Notre Dame in the NCAA semifinals. | Brad Bierman, The Juice Online - On SI

Charlottesville, Va. - The Syracuse lacrosse season came to a disappointing end for the second straight year, one game short of playing for the national title. Notre Dame dominated the second half in its 15-7 victory Saturday afternoon in the NCAA semifinals, in front of 24,396 at chilly and misty Scott Stadium.

Notre Dame (13-2) led from start-to-finish and 7-4 at halftime, before Syracuse (13-6) closed the gap to 9-7 late in the third quarter on a Payton Anderson goal, before the Irish reeled off five straight scores in the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Man up, or man down, Syracuse struggled in both facets of the game

The turning point in the first half was a two minute, man-up advantage Syracuse had trailing the Irish 5-3 in the second quarter. The Orange got its point-blank shots against ND goalie Thomas Ricciardelli during that stretch, but the all-ACC goalie was up to the task with three crucial saves to keep the margin two.

In the third quarter, the Orange's Louis D'Agostino was whistled for a two minute major, and Notre Dame scored twice during the penalty, and although Anderson's goal cut the margin to 9-7, ND shutout SU 6-0 in the fourth quarter to win going away.

"Unfortunately, we ran into a team that was ready to play and executed at an aewsome level," Gait said afterwards in tipping his hat to the second-seeded Irish. "They demonstrated what a great team they are, and they took it to us."

A senior class that moves on without achieving its goal of a national championship

It had been a five-month goal since the Orange first started practice in January. The senior-laden class, led by All-American Joey Spallina, named the nation's top attackman heading into the game but held without a goal Saturday, was crest-fallen to fall two victories shy of netting the program's 12th national title.

Ten SU players suited up for the last time in orange against Notre Dame, with only Finn Thomson and Luke Rhoa joining Anderson as goal scorers.

Faceoff specialist John Mullen was more than commendable winning 14 of 24 draws, but the offense could not capitalize on scoring off its 45 shots on Ricciardelli, who made 14 saves.

Orange goalie Jimmy McCool was uneven in the net, but Notre Dame's crisp passing (assists on 13 of the 15 goals) wore the DU defense down leading to the six goal putburst in the final quarter.

"I said when I came here that we would being the 'Cuse back." Spallina said after his final game as an Orange. "We were close, we couldn't get all the way, it sucks, but that is the way sports is, and life is, so we have to move on."

SUPPORT THE JUICE ONLINE

Follow us on Twitter @TheJuiceOnline, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @SUJuiceOnline and listen to our podcast.