KENNESAW, Ga. –Eighth-ranked Syracuse outscored Duke 5-0 after a three-hour weather delay to capture the 2016 ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship title with a 14-8 victory over the No. 13 Blue Devils this afternoon.
Syracuse (10-4) captures its second straight ACC title. Duke falls to 10-7 on the year. Tim Barber paced the Orange offense with four goals and an assist, while Sergio Salcido had two goals and three assists. Myles Jones and Brad Smith led Duke with a pair of goals apiece.
With Duke on a 3-1 run that brought the game back within one at 9-8, weather became a factor as the teams were forced to clear the field with 7:10 left in the fourth quarter. Heavy thunderstorms in the area began and made the field unplayable, resulting in having to move the game from the main Fifth Third Bank Stadium to an adjacent turf field.
Syracuse, on man-up when play resumed, struck quickly with a goal from Dylan Donahue. The Blue Devils got the next possession, but Myles Jones shot rang off the pipe and the Orange took over and scored less than a minute later to go up three, 11-8.
It was all Syracuse in those final five minutes as Evan Molloy came up with a monster save on Jack Bruckner and the Orange offense added two more for the win. Molly finished with 13 saves.
The opening half was a back-and-forth affair featuring three ties as Duke and Syracuse traded goals. It was the Blue Devils' second midfield line making an impact in the first quarter, tallying both of Duke's goals in the first quarter.
Brad Smith opened the scoring for the Blue Devils off an assist from Tripp Transou and Matthew Giampetroni netted his second of the year late in the first to tie the game 2-2.
Syracuse took advantage of a Duke turnover in the closing seconds to take a 3-2 lead at the first break on a fastbreak goal from Dylan Donahue.
The second quarter was much of the same as Justin Guterding capitalized a Syracuse to tie the game for the third time. The Orange scored three of the next four goals before Jack Bruckner threw in a rebound to send Duke into halftime down 6-5.
Syracuse got off to a fast start in the third quarter, scoring twice for an 8-5 lead. Duke, behind play from Danny Fowler between the pipes, went on a 3-1 run to bring it within one, 9-8, before the lengthy weather delay. Jones had two in the Duke spurt.
Fowler was outstanding between the pipes again for the Blue Devils with a season-high 17 saves. He finished the weekend with 29 saves and 21 goals allowed.
Kyle Rowe went 11-of-24 at the faceoff X and scored a goal for the Blue Devils.
Fowler, Jones, Rowe and Ethan Powley were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Duke closes out its regular season Sunday, May 8 against Boston University. Faceoff is set for 1 p.m., on CBS Sports Network.