Instant recap: Notre Dame lacrosse beats Denver in NCAA men's semifinal, will defend title

Notre Dame has been one of college lacrosse's most sound and dominant teams this season, and now it looks to finish the mission.

The Fighting Irish (14-1 overall, 4-0 in ACC play) are back in the City of Brotherly Love for the NCAA men's lacrosse championship for the second consecutive season, which begins on Saturday, May 25 at 12 p.m. ET against No. 5 Denver in the semifinals at Lincoln Financial Field.

▶ LIVE UPDATES: For live scoring updates from Saturday's Notre Dame lacrosse NCAA semifinal vs. Denver, scroll down. Refresh your browser the latest

MORE: Watch Notre Dame in 2024 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship with Fubo (Free Trial)

Led by brothers Pat Kavanagh and Chris Kavanagh, the Fighting Irish advanced to the NCAA men's lacrosse tournament semifinals thanks to a 16-11 win over No. 8 Georgetown last weekend. Pat Kavanaugh, who was taken No. 6 overall in the PLL draft by the Boston Cannons, tied his career high in points (eight) against the Hoyas as he finished with five goals and three assists.

If Notre Dame is able to pull out the win against the Pioneers and then against the winner of No. 6 Virginia vs. No. 7 Maryland on Memorial Day in the national championship game, the Fighting Irish will make history by becoming just the eighth Division I lacrosse program to be crowned national champions in back-to-back consecutive seasons.

Here's what you need to know about Notre Dame's pursuit of winning back-to-back NCAA men's lacrosse national championship titles:

Live scoring updates: Notre Dame lacrosse vs. Denver

FINAL: Notre Dame 13, Denver 6

END OF THIRD: Notre Dame 9, Denver 5

END OF SECOND: Notre Dame 5, Denver 4

END OF FIRST: Notre Dame 3, Denver 1

12:05 p.m.: About to start in Philadelphia

When was the last time someone repeated as national champion for men’s lacrosse?

Virginia was the last men’s lacrosse program to repeat as national champions. The Cavaliers beat Yale 13-9 in 2019 and then Maryland 17-16 in 2021.

Note: The 2020 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

How many times has there been back-to-back champions in the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament?

If Notre Dame is able to put together two wins this weekend, the Fighting Irish will become the 10th team, and eighth program, in the history of the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament to win back-to-back national championship titles.

Cornell was the first program to win two consecutive national titles in 1976 and 1977 by beating Maryland 16-13 in overtime and Johns Hopkins 16-8 respectively.

Here’s a full list of back-to-back national champions in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament:

• Virginia: 2019 and 2021

• Duke: 2013 and 2014

• Syracuse: 2008 and 2009

• Princeton: 1996, 1997 and 1998

• Syracuse: 1988, 1989 and 1990*

• Johns Hopkins: 1984 and 1985

• North Carolina: 1981 and 1982

• Johns Hopkins: 1978, 1979 and 1980

• Cornell: 1976 and 1977

Note: The NCAA vacated Syracuse’s 1990 national championship title after the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions found out Orange midfielder Paul Gait was ineligible to play after the game. 

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How many NCAA men’s lacrosse national championship titles does Notre Dame have?

Notre Dame has won the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament once in program history, coming last year in 2023.

The Fighting Irish defeated Utah in the first round 20-7 and then Johns Hopkins 12-9 in the quarterfinals to advance to the NCAA men’s lacrosse championship in Philadelphia. Then in its semifinals game against No. 2 Virginia, No. 3 Notre Dame mounted a three goal deficit comeback in the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime. Graduate student midfielder Brian Tevlin would then score the game winning goal in OT sending the Irish to the national title game, after catching the Cavaliers defense off guard with a fake pass as he headed to the cage.

Led by a balanced scoring attack — six players with two goals — and an impressive 14/24 winning at the faceoff circle, Notre Dame would then take down No. 1 Duke in the national championship game by a score of 13-9, claiming the first national championship trophy in program history.

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Most NCAA men’s lacrosse titles

Syracuse holds the record for most NCAA men’s lacrosse national championship titles at 10, largely in part to the Oranges’ dominant run from the late 1980s through mid 1990s. Johns Hopkins (nine), Virginia (seven), Princeton (six) and North Carolina (five) round out the top five.

Here’s a list of programs that have a NCAA men’s lacrosse national championship title:

• 1. Syracuse: 10* (1983, 1988-1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2009)

• 2. Johns Hopkins: 9 (1974, 1978-1980, 1984-1985, 1987, 2005 and 2007)

• 3. Virginia: 7 (1972, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2019 and 2021)

• 4. Princeton: 6 (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2001)

• 5. North Carolina: 5 (1981-1982, 1986, 1991 and 2016)

• 6. Maryland: 4 (1973, 1975, 2017 and 2022)

• T-7. Duke: 3 (2010, 2013-2014)

• T-7. Cornell: 3 (1971, 1976-1977)

• T-9. Denver: 1 (2015)

• T-9. Yale: 1 (2018)

• T-9. Notre Dame: 1 (2023)

• T-9. Loyola Maryland: 1 (2012)

* Does not include vacated 1990 national championship title

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Past NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament champions

Here's a full look back at past national champions in the NCAA men's lacrosse tournament dating back to 1971:

• 2023: Notre Dame

• 2022: Maryland

• 2021: Virginia

• 2020: Canceled due to COVID-19

• 2019: Virginia

• 2018: Yale

• 2017: Maryland

• 2016: North Carolina

• 2015: Denver

• 2014: Duke

• 2013: Duke

• 2012: Loyola Maryland

• 2011: Virginia

• 2010: Duke

• 2009: Syracuse

• 2008: Syracuse

• 2007: Johns Hopkins

• 2006: Virginia

• 2005: Johns Hopkins

• 2004: Syracuse

• 2003: Virginia

• 2002: Syracuse

• 2001: Princeton

• 2000: Syracuse

• 1999: Virginia

• 1998: Princeton

• 1997: Princeton

• 1996: Princeton

• 1995: Syracuse

• 1994: Princeton

• 1993: Syracuse

• 1992: Princeton

• 1991: North Carolina

• 1990: Syracuse

• 1989: Syracuse

• 1988: Syracuse

• 1987: Johns Hopkins

• 1986: North Carolina

• 1985: Johns Hopkins

• 1984: Johns Hopkins

• 1983: Syracuse

• 1982: North Carolina

• 1981: North Carolina

• 1980: Johns Hopkins

• 1979: Johns Hopkins

• 1978: Johns Hopkins

• 1977: Cornell

• 1976: Cornell

• 1975: Maryland

• 1974: Johns Hopkins

• 1973: Maryland

• 1972: Virginia

• 1971: Cornell

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This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Live score updates: Notre Dame vs. Denver in NCAA lacrosse semifinal