DENVER – The [12/13] University of Denver men's lacrosse program returns home on Monday night to welcome [7/8] Syracuse to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Opening faceoff is set for 6 p.m. MT, and the game will be broadcast live on Altitude and streamed live on Midco Sports Plus.
 
SERIES HISTORY:
Syracuse holds a 4-1 lead in the all-time series, but it was the Pioneers that won the NCAA Quarterfinal at Towson in 2024, the last time the two teams met. DU used a six-goal third quarter to pull away from Syracuse, who got three unanswered goals in the fourth to trim the final margin to 10-8. The Orange won the only game played in the Mile High City between the two programs by a count of 13-10 in 2002. FULL HISTORY
 
LAST TIME OUT:
Denver lost a defensive slugfest to [8/7] Ohio State in Columbus by a score of 6-4. FULL RECAP
 
ON THIS DATE
Denver is 2-3 on March 16 in its Division I history.
In 2021, Denver defeated No. 4 Georgetown 13-7 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium behind four goals from Jack Hannah and  hat trick and two helpers from Ethan Walker.
 
DENVER AND SYRACUSE ANNOUNCE HOME AND HOME
In December, Denver and Syracuse announced a home and home that will see the Orange come to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on March 16 before the Pioneers return to the Dome next spring.
 
DEFENDING THE LACROSSE CAPITAL OF THE WEST
131-31 since Peter Barton was built in 2005
66 sellouts, including five in 2014, 2015 and 2018, eight in 2016 and 10 in 2017.
Denver has finished in the top-10 in the country in average attendance in each of the last 10 seasons (excluding 2021 due to COVID-19).
The Pios have finished in the top-5 three times, fourth in the shortened 2020 season, fifth in the 2015 National Championship season and fifth in the 2023 campaign.
Denver has had at least one sellout in every season since 2011 (15 straight).
Denver vs. Yale on March 10, 2024, drew 3,037, the second-biggest crowd in the history of PBLS. Denver vs. Cornell on February 24, 2024 drew 3,025, now the third-biggest crowd.
 
RESET!
2021: Denver's most goals off resets in a single season came in 2021, when the Pioneers scored 42 (92 chances) goals off resets, compared to its opponents 17.
2022: The Crimson and Gold had a 23-18 edge in goals off resets.
2023: Goals off resets in Denver games in Bill Tierney's final season saw Denver hold an 18-8 advantage.
2024: Denver held a 24-11 advantage in goals off resets, including 18-6 in games the Pioneers went on to win.
2025: Denver's and its opponents scored 17 goals off resets apiece last season.
2026: Denver is 3-for-16 in reset chances this year, while its opponents are 1-for-24
Utah was 0-for-8 in reset chances in DU's one-goal win in February while the Pioneers converted on their only reset opportunity.
 
UNFRIENDLY PIPES
Denver has hit some unlucky pipes by a margin of 197-138 in the last eight seasons.
The luck has begun to turn in 2026 with opponents hitting 24 posts compared to Denver's six.
 
DENVER AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Denver is 80-95 in its DI history against teams in the USILA Top-20.
Denver is 32-28 at home against ranked opponents.
Denver is 14-30 vs. teams in the USILA Top-5, with the last win coming in the 2024 NCAA Quarterfinals vs. No. 4 Syracuse.
Denver's 2024 overtime win at Johns Hopkins and its March 20, 2022 win at No. 7 Ohio State are the program's two top-10 road wins since a trip to Notre Dame in 2020, the final game before the COVID-19 shutdown.
The Pioneers beat [7] Duke in a neutral site game in Texas on 3/22/25.
 
MONDAY'S AND THURSDAY'S
In 2026, Denver will play its first Thursday regular season game since a 12-10 win over Towson on April 13, 2023, and will play its first Monday regular season game since March 5, 2018 at North Carolina (W, 10-6).
The Pioneers are 8-2 on Monday's in the regular season.
Denver's game against Syracuse on March 16 is Denver's first Monday night home game since defeating No. 6 Penn State 15-11 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
Denver is now 3-2 on Thursday's in the regular season after its loss at No. 8 Ohio State on March 12.
 
DENVER'S MAN-UP D IN LAST THREE SEASONS
In 37 games since the start of the 2024 season, Denver has allowed just 17 man-up goals on opponents 86 opportunities for a man-down kill-percentage of 80.2%.
The total is the tied for the fewest man-down goals in the country since the start of 2024 (Maryland).
Denver's penalty kill rate is the highest in the country over that span (80.2).
In 2025 alone, Denver ranked 11th in man-up kill percentage at 75.0%.
In Denver's 7-3 win over Georgetown on April 12, 2025 the Pios man-down unit killed off four of four penalties, and forced two shot clock violations while a man down.
 
UP NEXT: Denver will return to the road next Sunday to take on nationally-ranked Duke in Durham. Opening faceoff is set for 11 a.m. MT, and will be broadcast on ACC Network Xtra.
 
TICKETS: Tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now, and can be purchased here.
 
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports.
Like Denver Pioneers and DU Men's Lacrosse on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_MLAX on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @denvermlax on Instagram