[14/14] Denver’s Comeback Falls Short in Quarterfinal Rematch with [8/8] Syracuse

Monday, March 16

Denver, Colo.

6 p.m. MT

University of Denver

4-3, 0-0

Syracuse

7-2, 0-0

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Syracuse	1	5	6	1	13
Denver	2	3	2	5	12

Matt Brown Postgame Highlights

3/16/2026 8:51:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score Matt Brown Postgame Highlights

The Pioneers return to the road on Sunday to take on [6/6] Duke

By: Niko Blankenship

DENVER – The [14/14] University of Denver men's lacrosse program entered the fourth trailing by five, and brought it all the way back to within one with 3:44 to go, but couldn't find the leveler and fell to [8/8] Syracuse 13-12 in-front of a sold-out crowd at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on Monday night.

Monday night's attendance 3,076 is the second largest in the stadium's history, trailing only the record of 3,117 against Georgetown in 2015.

LEADERS:
Cody Malawsky had his third hat trick of the season and the eighth of his career to lead the Pioneers. Marek Tzagournis had a goal and two helpers for a three-point night.

Luke Rhoa led the Orange with four goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Quarter:
Syracuse opened the scoring in the opening minute off a Denver failed clear. A defensive battle settled in before Sam Trumble scored in transition off a long-field assist from Russell Overly. Denver then took the lead on Chase Bruno's first tally of the night.

Syracuse was called for a two-minute crosscheck penalty, but the Orange man-down unit limited Denver to just one shot off the pipe before forcing a turnover late in the reset shot clock, so the Pioneers lead stayed to one at the first quarter break.

Second Quarter:
Cody Malawsky ripped home his first goal of the night from 10 yards out off a feed from Joe Taraboletti to double Denver's lead 48 seconds into the second frame.

Syracuse responded with a goal from the outside, and then turned a second Denver failed clear into a second goal to even the score up at 3-3 with 10:27 to play before halftime.

After Grayson Manning's seventh save of the first half, Trumble hit Malawsky in transition for his second goal of the game. Syracuse had the quick answer when Wyatt Hottle won a faceoff and took it to the house to level things at 4-4 with 9:24 to go.

Manning and Syracuse netminder Jimmy McCool continued to put on a show to limit the scoring before Lucas Klokiw broke the drought and put Denver back in-front with 2:57 to play.

Syracuse scored with 2:10 to go to tie it and then scored on the man-up with five seconds to play to take a goal lead into the break.

Third Quarter
Syracuse opened the third quarter with a pair of goals in the opening 80 seconds to extend its lead to three with 13:20 to go in the third. The Orange added their ninth with 12:10 to go to push the lead to four early in the third.

Overly picked up a big ground ball which led to a transition goal for the Pioneers that saw Cheyne Repp finish a Marek Tzagournis feed to stop the five-goal run.

Billy Dawn got Syracuse back on the score sheet, beating the 10-man ride from just inside midfield to push the Orange lead to 10-6 at the third quarter media.

Malawsky completed his hat trick with 37 seconds to go to cut the deficit to four, but Syracuse scored off the faceoff to make it 12-7 heading into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter:
Denver opened the third quarter with three-straight man-up goals off the same one-minute Syracuse unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Rory Graham got the first off a feed from Daniel Clark to make it a 12-8 game, Tzagournis scored 18 seconds later to cut the Syracuse advantage to three and Chris Merageas found the back of the net off a feed from Tzagournis for the third man-up goal in a 33 second stretch to make it a 12-10 game with 13:26 to go in regulation.

Syracuse's Joey Spallina provided the end to the run with his first of the night with 11 minutes to go. Bruno dodged top side to make it 13-11 with 10:12 to go.

Merageas found the back of the net again with 3:44 to play to make it a one-goal game for the first time since halftime. Denver won the faceoff, but couldn't get a shot off, and Cuse cleared.

Denver got a couple chances in the final seconds, but a big save from McCool and a wrap around the cage from Tzagournis that went wide ended the Pioneers comeback hopes.

UP NEXT: Denver will make its first trip to the east coast in 2026 on Sunday when the Pioneers travel to [6/6] Duke. Opening faceoff is set for 1 p.m. ET/11 a.m. MT on ACC Network Xtra.

TICKETS: Tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now, and can be purchased here.

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