A large crowd gathered at Jordan Field to see No. 13 Harvard men’s lacrosse defeat top-ranked Syracuse, marking the Crimson’s first-ever win over a team ranked No. 1 in the nation. The game ended with a close score of 13-12.
Harvard, now 3-0 this season, managed a comeback late in the game by scoring three consecutive goals in the final five minutes. This victory puts Harvard at two wins and one loss against Syracuse in their last three meetings.
Sophomore goalkeeper Graham Stevens played a key role for Harvard, making a season-high 14 saves against Syracuse’s offense. On attack, sophomore Nathan Cobery and senior John Aurandt IV each scored three goals. Junior Owen Umansky also contributed by winning 13 faceoffs, matching his best performance of the season.
The Crimson defense held Syracuse to its first scoreless quarter of the year and limited them to four goals by halftime—a season low for the Orange. Nine different Harvard players registered at least one point during the match, with multiple points from Aurandt, Cobery, Andrew Perry, Logan Ip, and Teddy Malone.
The game began with Harvard scoring quickly but saw Syracuse respond with four straight goals to take an early lead. In the second quarter, Harvard produced a 5-0 run to regain control before halftime. The teams traded leads throughout the third quarter before Syracuse put together a run that gave them a two-goal advantage in the fourth.
Harvard responded with another rally in the closing minutes. Aurandt’s third goal narrowed the gap before Jordan tied it up with his first goal of the season. With less than a minute left, Aurandt assisted Cobery on what proved to be the winning goal.
On defense, Stevens made a critical save during Syracuse’s final possession to secure Harvard’s win.
Next Saturday, Harvard will play Marquette at Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York.
