Spallina breaks Syracuse lacrosse points record in win over Colgate

Joey Spallina moved to the top of Syracuse men’s lacrosse history and did it in a game that carried more than one meaning for the Orange. His record-breaking point came in the first quarter against Colgate, and Syracuse rolled to a 14-7 victory in its final regular-season home game at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Spallina reached 308 career points with an assist to Michael Leo, breaking Mike Powell’s long-standing Syracuse mark of 307 points set from 2001-04. The play fit the moment: Spallina slipped a behind-the-back pass to Leo, who finished with a behind-the-back goal of his own and pushed Syracuse’s senior-day celebration into historic territory.

Spallina finished with seven points, including two goals and five assists, showing the kind of all-around production that has made him the center of Syracuse’s attack. He tied Powell early when he scored his 26th goal of the season in the opening minutes, then passed him later in the first quarter with the assist to Leo that gave him the record outright.

The Orange and Colgate played a competitive first half, with Syracuse taking a 7-4 lead into halftime. Syracuse then separated in the third quarter by scoring three straight to go ahead 10-5, and the Orange closed with four consecutive goals. Finn Thomson scored three of those late goals and finished with four on the night, matching Leo’s four-goal performance.

The afternoon carried extra weight because it was Senior Day and Syracuse’s final regular-season home game. The program honored 10 seniors and a student-manager in front of 6,498 fans, a crowd that watched one of the sport’s signature programs add another name to its record book.

For Syracuse, the milestone also arrived at a key point in the season. The Orange left the Colgate game at 11-3 and turned quickly toward a road trip to South Bend, Indiana, where No. 1 Notre Dame awaited on April 25 at noon in an ACC matchup with postseason implications. In a program built on Hall of Fame standards and championship expectation, Spallina’s record was more than a senior-day line item. It was a reminder that Syracuse’s next chapter is being written in real time, with the biggest games still ahead.