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Men's Lacrosse

Billy Dwan’s game-tying pole goal sets No. 6 SU up for win over No. 4 UVA

Jacob Halsema | Staff Photographer

Long pole Billy Dwan scored the game-tying goal against No. 4 Virginia with his back turned to the cage, setting up No. 6 Syracuse for a late comeback win.

By Cooper AndrewsManaging Editor

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Gary Gait best describes Billy Dwan as “unconventional.” The 6-foot-4 sophomore long pole managed to score six goals through Syracuse’s first 14 games in 2024, providing Gait’s team with a unique weapon.

But Dwan’s latest pole goal was his most enthralling yet.

SU trailed 17-16 as the fourth-quarter clock waned to 1:44 in its top-10 bout against Virginia. A Connor Shellenberger turnover caused by Riley Figueiras gave the Orange a chance at an equalizer. Then, Jake Stevens ripped a shot that UVA goalie Matthew Nunes stalled. A ravenous scrum materialized at the ensuing ground ball.

Dwan lunged forward and extended his stick toward the ball. With his back turned to the cage, he scooped it, raised his stick and launched the ball over his right shoulder. Nunes barely moved an inch. Dwan tied the game at 17-17, and he was just as caught off guard as Nunes.



“Honestly, I don’t know,” Dwan said on how he pulled the goal off. “But I kind of just have a feeling where the goal is behind me. And you just gotta put your stick in a situation or a place to put the ball in the net.”

Dwan’s goal set No. 6 Syracuse (11-4, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) up to complete its late comeback victory over No. 4 Virginia (10-3, 1-2 ACC) Saturday. Less than a minute after Dwan tied it, Sam English buried the eventual game-winner.

Yet it wasn’t without one final play from Dwan to clinch the 18-17 win. He poked the ball from McCabe Millon’s stick to cause UVA’s final possession to go awry, sealing SU’s regular-season finale triumph.

Still, Dwan’s goal is what stood out to his head coach.

“That’s the way he does it,” Gait said of Dwan. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on, he’s got a knack for putting the ball in the net and today was just another spectacular one.”

That knack has been apparent throughout a breakout campaign for the long pole. Dwan was primarily a man-down specialist during his freshman year, though he’s started every game in 2024. He first made his scoring capabilities known in the Orange’s season-opener on Feb. 3, where he ripped in a step-down shot in their win over Vermont.

While he didn’t score again until March 16 versus then-No. 20 Delaware, it’s been a flurry of improbable production since.

Dwan has netted five goals in his last five contests. He’s shown a strong ability to slice through opposing defenses on transition opportunities, often scoring off caused turnovers or after picking up a ground ball following a faceoff scrum.

He racked up two goals against Hobart, and one versus then-No. 13 Cornell — in which he scored by threading the ball between his legs from 10 yards out. He tallied another one a week ago in North Carolina.

“Definitely leads the country in goal-scoring for a close defenseman, and he’s got multiple highlight goals,” Gait said. “The one last week was spectacular as well.”

The circumstances couldn’t have been much larger for the next edition of a Dwan pole goal. A win over Virginia would have given Syracuse its first positive conference record since 2018. It would have been SU’s first win over UVA in the Gait era. It even would have sealed a top-two seed for the Orange in the ACC Tournament.

Dwan proved to be a major part of the difference. On a play that very well could have resulted in a ground ball picked up by the Cavaliers that gets scored on the other end, Dwan instead muscled his way through a sea of teammates and UVA defenders to position himself for glory.

“Whatever it may be,” Dwan said of his process behind making quick decisions to shoot. “Just get the ball on the goal and then trying to make the goalie make the save instead of me missing it or a turnover. Just trying to put the ball on the goal.”

Dwan’s seventh goal of the year paved the way for Syracuse’s win. Though Mason Kohn lost the ensuing faceoff, Virginia’s Anthony Ghobriel attempted to pick the ball up and charge straight downfield for a goal, but it sailed wide. The Orange cleared it, and English converted on a low shot on their following trip down field to take the lead.

The Cavaliers’ Ben Wayer picked up a ground ball off the next faceoff, which John Mullen and Ghobriel scrambled for. They had one more shot to tie the game. Virginia swung the ball around SU’s side and it wound up in the stick of Millon, UVA’s star freshman who entered the contest with 47 points.

As Millon prepared for a run at the net, Dwan reached his stick out and jabbed the ball away from Million’s control. Dwan spotted the loose ball, pounced on it and ran down field, cradling the ball in his stick with time winding down. The Cavaliers received one last shot attempt with three seconds remaining, though it was stopped by Syracuse goalie Will Mark.

Gait has yearned for his team to generate a complete performance. It’s what has stood in SU’s way throughout this season. After the Orange’s setback versus Cornell, where they blew a seven-goal lead and lost in double overtime, Gait could only shake his head and mutter about his team not making the necessary plays late in games to come up with wins.

On Saturday, Gait got what he’s been missing.

“We’re just happy he’s on our team,” Gait said of Dwan.

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