The Syracuse Orange (7-6-4) are the #16 seed in the NCAA Tournament. This is the fifth time in the Ian McIntyre era and sixth overall, when . They now also have their opponent in the Akron Zips (11-6-2). The Zips played an NCAA first round match, Thursday, against Rider, emerging 3-1 victors over the Broncos. The victory set up a rematch of the Orange and the Zips with all the marbles on the line this time.
The Orange met Akron earlier in the 2018 campaign, winning 3-1 in a match that Jonathan Hagman put his stamp on with a hat trick.