BALTIMORE -- From his eye-black Halloween game-face paint job to his flair for drama, Syracuse's Michael Powell forged a Hollywood-type lacrosse career from the start. He culminated it the same way at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Memorial Day.

In front of a championship-game record paid-attendance crowd of 43,898, the 10th largest such number for an NCAA championship in any sport, and with the now 15-2 Orange holding a 13-12 lead over Navy, Powell found the net off a fast-break pass from best friend and fellow all-tournament team member Brian Nee with one minute left.

Powell preceded the goal, the 150th of his career and 47th of the season (but first of the day) with his game-high five assists.

Although the goal proved to be the game-winner, Navy, which ended the season 15-3, wasn't finished in this game in which the score was tied eight different times. Navy's Chris Pieczonka won the ensuing faceoff. Twenty seconds later, Navy destroyer Ian Dingman muscled his 6-3, 248-pound frame for his 36th goal of the season, closing Navy to within the eventual final score with 40 seconds left.

Pieczonka won the next faceoff, too, scooped the ball himself and drove solo for a shot that was snuffed by all-tournament goalie Jay Pfeifer of the Orange. Syracuse called timeout with 31 seconds left, giving the ball to Powell deep in the Orange's defensive area on the restart. Though the Orange's clear attempt was unsuccessful and Syracuse lost the ball, Navy did not get a shot in the closing seconds, and Syracuse clinched its eighth official championship. Powell, who along with his brothers Casey and Ryan, are the top three scorers in Syracuse history, ended his career with a second championship.

"To be honest, I was just excited that I finally scored," Powell said of the game-winner, noting that he didn't play his best game. Minutes before that goal he had missed an open net after Matt Russell of Navy had come out of the goal to play the ball. "It just came at a good time."

Then he pondered the moment.

"We came away with a win against one of the best teams I've seen in college lacrosse," he said. "I scored the game-winner in my last game against Navy on Memorial Day. Hollywood probably ought to buy that."

Orange coach John Desko, who led the squad to an NCAA-record eighth crown, three of which have come under his command, said this game was different from the others, mainly because of the opponent.

"Our opponent, the United States Naval Academy, Richie Meade, the head coach, and his staff just had a real sense of pride," he said. "I was so proud of them being there and they way they've been playing this season.

"They played with a bigger cause. And to go out and play them, it didn't have the feel typical of playing other opponents. We were pulling for them, also."

That last sentiment echoed a feeling that one of the Orange players had joked about during the previous morning's press conference. Powell noted that on the way to the interviews, teammate Steve Vallone had just finished reading a Baltimore Sun article on Navy advancing to the championship game from 30 miles down the road. The article talked about how people were flying in from all over the world to see the title game, and how servicemen who couldn't come would be watching or listening from ships at sea.

Powell confided to the media that Vallone told him, "Geez, after reading this, I even want Navy to win."

The four-time all-American got caught up in that a bit himself Sunday, saying that if the Orange won it would be bittersweet. His tune changed on title day.

"We were playing a lacrosse team. Some people took it a little too far. We weren't playing to beat our country. We weren't playing to beat the Naval Academy. We didn't view it as something unpatriotic. We viewed it as a national championship game."

And now they view themselves as national champions.

Other Syracuse players chosen for the all-tournament team were Sean Lindsay and Kevin Dougherty, who had five goals in the semifinal win over Johns Hopkins. From Navy, Graham Gill and Mitch Hendler were honored, as were Princeton's Ryan Boyle and Tim Sullivan.

The semifinal's paid attendance of 46,923 set a record for an NCAA outdoor championship event, demolishing last year's record of 37,944 set in last year's championship game. The championship moves to another NFL stadium next year, Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, for the next two years.

Quarterfinals

Johns Hopkins 15, North Carolina 9; Princeton 9, Maryland 8 (ot); Navy 6, Cornell 5; Syracuse 8, Georgetown 7.

Semifinals

Princeton scoring: Mac Bryson 3, Drew Casino 2, Ryan Boyle 1, Peter Trombino 1.

Navy scoring: Graham Gill 2, Ben Bailey 2, Billy Looney 1, Adam Reel 1, Joe Bossi 1, Jon Birsner 1.

Shots: Princeton 22, Navy 32. Saves: Princeton -- Dave Law 8; Navy -- Matt Russell 5.

Syracuse scoring: Kevin Dougherty 5, Brian Nee 4, Greg Rommel 2, Michael Powell 1, Steve Vallone 1, Sean Lindsay 1.

Johns Hopkins scoring: Matt Rewkowski 3, Kyle Harrison 2, Conor Ford 2, Greg Peyser 1, Jake Byrne 1.

Shots: Syracuse 45, Johns Hopkins 37. Saves: Syracuse -- Jay Pfeifer 13; Johns Hopkins -- Scott Smith 14.

Championship

Syracuse scoring: Brian Nee 3, Brian Crockett 3, Sean Lindsay 2, Alex Zink 2, Michael Powell 1, Steve Vallone 1, Greg Rommel 1, Brett Bucktooth 1.

Navy scoring: Jon Birsner 2, Ian Dingman 2, Joe Bossi 2, Ben Horn 2, Graham Gill 1, Ben Bailey 1, Billy Looney 1, Clipper Lennon 1, Harris Taylor 1.

Shots: Syracuse 40, Navy 44. Saves: Syracuse -- Jay Pfeifer 15; Navy -- Matt Russell 6, Colin Finnegan 0.