SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In one of the most memorable games in recent NCAA lacrosse history, No. 12 Harvard men's lacrosse came up just short against No. 6 Syracuse. The Crimson (10–5, 4–2 Ivy) forced overtime after Owen Gaffney threaded in a goal with six seconds left, but Syracuse (12–5, 2–2 ACC) scored the game-winner in overtime to emerge victorious in this instant classic. Jack Speidell and Teddy Malone each tallied three points, and Graham Stevens made 11 saves in goal to lead a valiant effort by the Crimson.
The defeat brings the historic 2025 season to a close for Gerry Byrne and the Harvard men's lacrosse program, which set a new standard for years to come.
How It Happened
For the first time since 2022, Harvard men's lacrosse returned to the NCAA Tournament after receiving an at-large bid. The Crimson were sent to Syracuse to face the sixth-seeded Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome — their second meeting of the season.
After controlling the opening faceoff, Harvard struck first with a goal from Teddy Malone. The junior's opener sparked a dream start for the Crimson. First-year goalkeeper Graham Stevens was tested early but came up big with a key save in the first quarter, which led to a goal from Sam King. John Aurandt added another just under five minutes into the game, giving Harvard a 3–0 lead.
After the early burst, both defenses tightened. Stevens made two more saves, and the Crimson put two additional shots on target in the final ten minutes, but Syracuse managed to pull one back, ending the first quarter at 3–1.
A four-goal run in the first seven minutes of the second quarter extended Harvard's lead to 7–1. Malone, Logan Ip, Jack Speidell, and Owen Guest all contributed during the dominant stretch. Guest's goal — his sixth of the season — came on a fast break after Sean Jordan carried the ball the length of the field. Syracuse responded with a goal at the five-minute mark, but Ip answered just 45 seconds later with his second of the game. Harvard took an 8–2 lead into halftime after an impressive first 30 minutes.
Two caused turnovers and a Stevens save preserved the lead early in the third quarter. However, Syracuse started to build momentum, scoring back-to-back goals to cut the deficit to 8–4. King added another goal for Harvard, restoring a five-goal cushion, but the Orange closed the quarter with a goal of their own to make it 9–5. Stevens recorded four saves in the frame to keep the Crimson ahead.
Both teams traded two goals to start the final quarter, with Speidell completing his hat trick. A one-minute unreleasable penalty against Harvard at the 10-minute mark allowed Syracuse to mount a four-goal run, tying the game with nine minutes remaining. After two empty Harvard possessions, Syracuse scored the go-ahead goal with 3:32 left — their first lead of the game.
Syracuse won the ensuing faceoff, but a massive save by Stevens and two caused turnovers reignited Harvard's hopes. With 26 seconds remaining, Charlie Muller jarred the ball loose and Martin Nelson scooped up the ground ball to send Harvard on the attack. After a successful clear, Owen Gaffney controlled the ball at the top and fired a low shot through the legs of the Syracuse goalie, tying the game with just six seconds left and sending it to overtime.
Syracuse won the overtime faceoff and didn't look back, scoring the game-winner 51 seconds into extra time to escape with the win and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Harvard Highlights
