Notre Dame men's lacrosse beats Denver, advances to second-straight title game
☘️ FINAL: Notre Dame is back in the national championship game
The defending champs make it back to championship Monday as a dominant second half propelled No. 1 Notre Dame to a 13-6 win over No. 5 Denver.
A one-goal game at halftime quickly turned to a blowout, as Notre Dame outscored Denver 8-2 in the final 30 minutes.
The Kavanagh brothers both record hat-tricks, with Pat's coming on a slick behind-the-back goal in the fourth quarter that put the exclamation point on Notre Dame's win. Devon McClane also posted a hat-trick for the Irish.
Cherry on top 🍒
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX)
📺 ESPN2 x
Notre Dame will make its fourth appearance in the national championship. The Irish will play the winner of Maryland and Virginia on Monday, May 27 at 12 p.m.
END 3: Irish start to pull away in the third
One goal from each Kavanagh brother and two more by the Irish's supporting cast helped Notre Dame extend its lead to 9-5 heading to the fourth quarter.
It was Pat first who got his 30th of the season 99 seconds into the second half. Chris joined the second half party on a goal assisted by Pat with just over five minutes to go in the frame. This tally extended the lead to four.
Notre Dame goalie Liam Entenmann made four saves while allowing just one goal in the quarter to help the Irish extend their lead.
HALF: Notre Dame holds slight lead
An early push by Denver tied this semifinal at three early in the second quarter. But, two goals in less than one minute pushed Notre Dame back out to a multi-goal lead, before Denver's Richie Connell sniped home a beautiful goal with less than 10 seconds left. At the break, No. 1 Notre Dame leads No. 5 Denver, 5-4.
Both goalies were fantastic in the first half. Denver's Malcolm Kleban notched nine saves and his counterpart, Liam Entenmann, made six saves. The Kavanagh brothers had an uncharacteristically quiet 15 minutes, they were held scoreless after combining for four points in the opening frame.
END 1: Notre Dame leads 3-1
After Denver struck first on a Richie Connell goal, Notre Dame quickly responded with three goals. The Kavanagh brothers continue to dominate as Chris has two goals and Pat has a goal and an assist.
Malcolm Kleban was solid in net, helping Denver overcome Notre Dame's shooting barrage. The Irish have outshot the Pioneers 8-3 through 15 minutes.
⏰ It's gametime in the national semifinal
Top-seeded Notre Dame and No. 5 Denver are underway, as they play for a spot in Monday's national title game.
Notre Dame are the defending champs while Denver looks to make it back to the championship game for the first time since winning it all in 2015.
👀 What the stats say
Here is a statistical breakdown comparing the Fighting Irish and the Pioneers.
| Notre Dame | STATS | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| 14-1 | Record | 13-3 |
| 238-141 | Goals for-against | 195-147 |
| .375 | Shot percentage | .309 |
| .711 | Man-up conversion % | .465 |
| .575 | Faceoff % | .592 |
| Chris Kavanagh, 36 | Goals leader | J J Sillstrop, 29 |
| Chris Kavanagh, 72 | Points leader | J J Sillstrop, 46 |
| Liam Entenmann, 14-1 (9.39 GAA) .551 save % |
Goalkeeping | Malcolm Kleban, 12-3 (9.14 GAA) .510 save % |
📖 Championship History
The NCAA DI men's lacrosse national championship dates back to 1971, skipping 2020 due to COVID-19, with the first national title going to Cornell after defeating Maryland 12-6. Syracuse holds the most national titles at 10.
Notre Dame won the 2023 national title, under the leadership of head coach Kevin Corrigan, after defeating Duke 13-9. Take a look below at the NCAA DI men's lacrosse champions since 1971.
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | HOST OR SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Notre Dame (14-2) | Kevin Corrigan | 13-9 | Duke | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| 2022 | Maryland (18-0) | John Tillman | 9-7 | Cornell | East Hartford, Conn. |
| 2021 | Virginia (14-4) | Lars Tiffany | 17-16 | Maryland | East Hartford, Conn. |
| 2020 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | Virginia (17-3) | Lars Tiffany | 13-9 | Yale | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| 2018 | Yale (17-3) | Andy Shay | 13-11 | Duke | Foxborough, Mass. |
| 2017 | Maryland (16-3) | John Tillman | 9-6 | Ohio State | Foxborough, Mass. |
| 2016 | North Carolina (12-6) | Joe Breschi | 14-13 (ot) | Maryland | Philadelphia |
| 2015 | Denver (17-2) | Bill Tierney | 10-5 | Maryland | Philadelphia |
| 2014 | Duke (17-3) | John Danowski | 11-9 | Notre Dame | Baltimore |
| 2013 | Duke (16-5) | John Danowski | 16-10 | Syracuse | Philadelphia |
| 2012 | Loyola (Md.) (18-1) | Charley Toomey | 9-3 | Maryland | Foxborough, Mass. |
| 2011 | Virginia (13-5) | Dom Starsia | 9-7 | Maryland | Baltimore |
| 2010 | Duke (16-4) | John Danowski | 6-5 (ot) | Notre Dame | Baltimore |
| 2009 | Syracuse (16-2) | John Desko | 10-9 (ot) | Cornell | Boston |
| 2008 | Syracuse (16-2) | John Desko | 13-10 | Johns Hopkins | Boston |
| 2007 | Johns Hopkins (13-4) | Dave Pietramala | 12-11 | Duke | Baltimore |
| 2006 | Virginia (17-0) | Dom Starsia | 15-7 | Massachusetts | Philadelphia |
| 2005 | Johns Hopkins (16-0) | Dave Pietramala | 9-8 | Duke | Philadelphia |
| 2004 | Syracuse (15-2) | John Desko | 14-13 | Navy | Baltimore |
| 2003 | Virginia (15-2) | Dom Starsia | 9-7 | Johns Hopkins | Baltimore |
| 2002 | Syracuse (15-2) | John Desko | 13-12 | Princeton | Rutgers |
| 2001 | Princeton (14-1) | Bill Tierney | 10-9 (ot) | Syracuse | Rutgers |
| 2000 | Syracuse (15-1) | John Desko | 13-7 | Princeton | Maryland |
| 1999 | Virginia (13-3) | Dom Starsia | 12-10 | Syracuse | Maryland |
| 1998 | Princeton (14-1) | Bill Tierney | 15-5 | Maryland | Rutgers |
| 1997 | Princeton (16-0) | Bill Tierney | 19-7 | Maryland | Maryland |
| 1996 | Princeton (14-1) | Bill Tierney | 13-12 (ot) | Virginia | Maryland |
| 1995 | Syracuse (13-2) | Roy Simmons Jr. | 13-9 | Maryland | Maryland |
| 1994 | Princeton (14-1) | Bill Tierney | 9-8 (ot) | Virginia | Maryland |
| 1993 | Syracuse (12-2) | Roy Simmons Jr. | 13-12 | North Carolina | Maryland |
| 1992 | Princeton (13-2) | Bill Tierney | 10-9 (2ot) | Syracuse | Penn |
| 1991 | North Carolina (16-0) | Dave Klarmann | 18-13 | Towson | Syracuse |
| 1990 | Syracuse* (13-0) | Roy Simmons Jr. | 21-9 | Loyola Maryland | Rutgers |
| 1989 | Syracuse (14-1) | Roy Simmons Jr. | 13-12 | Johns Hopkins | Maryland |
| 1988 | Syracuse (15-0) | Roy Simmons Jr. | 13-8 | Cornell | Syracuse |
| 1987 | Johns Hopkins (10-3) | Don Zimmerman | 11-10 | Cornell | Rutgers |
| 1986 | North Carolina (11-3) | Willie Scroggs | 10-9 (ot) | Virginia | Delaware |
| 1985 | Johns Hopkins (13-1) | Don Zimmerman | 11-4 | Syracuse | Brown |
| 1984 | Johns Hopkins (14-0) | Don Zimmerman | 13-10 | Syracuse | Delaware |
| 1983 | Syracuse (14-1) | Roy Simmons Jr. | 17-16 | Johns Hopkins | Rutgers |
| 1982 | North Carolina (14-0) | Willie Scroggs | 7-5 | Johns Hopkins | Virginia |
| 1981 | North Carolina (12-0) | Willie Scroggs | 14-13 | Johns Hopkins | Princeton |
| 1980 | Johns Hopkins (14-1) | Henry Ciccarone | 9-8 (2ot) | Virginia | Cornell |
| 1979 | Johns Hopkins (13-0) | Henry Ciccarone | 15-9 | Maryland | Maryland |
| 1978 | Johns Hopkins (13-1) | Henry Ciccarone | 13-8 | Cornell | Rutgers |
| 1977 | Cornell (13-0) | Richie Moran | 16-8 | Johns Hopkins | Virginia |
| 1976 | Cornell (16-0) | Richie Moran | 16-13 (ot) | Maryland | Brown |
| 1975 | Maryland (11-3) | Bud Beardmore | 20-13 | Navy | Johns Hopkins |
| 1974 | Johns Hopkins (12-2) | Bob Scott | 17-12 | Maryland | Rutgers |
| 1973 | Maryland (14-1) | Bud Beardmore | 10-9 (2ot) | Johns Hopkins | Penn |
| 1972 | Virginia (11-4) | Glenn Thiel | 13-12 | Johns Hopkins | Maryland |
| 1971 | Cornell (13-1) | Richie Moran | 12-6 | Maryland | Hofstra |
*After the 1990 championship, the krikya18.committee on Infractions determined that Paul Gait had played in the 1990 championship while ineligible. Under NCAA rules, Syracuse and Paul Gait's records for that championship were vacated. The NCAA does not recognize Syracuse and coach Roy Simmons Jr.'s 3-0 record, and Paul Gait's 7 goals, 7 assists and his participation in that championship.
🤔 How they got here
Notre Dame and Denver cruised through the first round of the 2024 championship as two of the top-five seeded teams. Heading into the quarterfinals, Denver gained its first-ever win over Syracuse.
Here's a look at each team's complete path to the national semifinals:
| Notre Dame | ROUND | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| def UAlbany, 14-9 | First Rounds | def. Michigan, 16-11 |
| def Georgetown, 16-11 | Quarterfinals | def. Syracuse, 10-8 |
📺 How to watch: Notre Dame vs. Denver
No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 5 Denver meet in the 2024 NCAA DI men's lacrosse championship semifinals for a spot in the national championship. Here's a look at how to watch:
- 👀 Who: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Denver
- 🗓️ When: 12 p.m. ET Saturday, May 25
- 📍 Where: Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, PA
- 📺 TV Broadcast: ESPN2
- 📈 Live Stats