Syracuse lacrosse faces tragedy on eve of Va. game

The Associated Press
Published: May 23, 2008

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) _ Syracuse University will take heavy hearts into its NCAA Division I national championship semi-final lacrosse game against Virginia on Saturday as the Orange deal with a sudden tragedy.

Syracuse will be rallying around senior captain Kyle Guadagnolo and his younger brother Tom, a freshman.

Their brother, Aaron, 21, was killed Tuesday night when his motorcycle was struck by a minivan near the family’s home west of Syracuse in Elbridge, N.Y.

“It’s a tough, tough thing,“ said Syracuse coach John Desko said. “This is very rough on all of us. Our hearts are with the family.“

Desko said the Guadagnolo parents were very active in organizing team tailgates and other team functions, which makes the loss among the players and their families especially keen. Desko said the team gathered for a brunch Wednesday to comfort their grieving teammates.

“We are all family. I’ve been there before. I lost my mom and I surrounded myself with my best friends. That’s all you can do,“ said teammate Steven Brooks.

Kyle Guadagnolo has started at close defense for SU every game over the last three seasons. Desko said he expects him to play Saturday.

The game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., will be a rematch. Virginia (14-3) defeated Syracuse (14-2) 14-13 in overtime in the Faceoff Classic in March.

The winner will play for the national championship on Monday against the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal game between Duke (18-2) and Johns Hopkins (10-5).

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.