Meaghan Tyrrell and Emma Tyrrell readied to join the Zoom meeting in two different cities — Meaghan from New York City and Emma from Syracuse — hoping for one outcome.

The sisters from the Long Island town of Mt. Sinai, N.Y., knew for months they would be a part of the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League, debuting at the 2025 Maybelline WLL Championship Series with four teams: the California Palms, Boston Guard, Maryland Charm and New York Charging. But they didn’t know what team they’d each represent until that mid-January day.

Meaghan joined the virtual gathering first, and for a split second, after not immediately seeing her younger sister, it seemed Emma could actually be her opponent for the first time. Then she appeared, confirming the two Mt. Sinai and Syracuse alumni would dawn their third New York uniform as teammates — and their first since the Orange’s Final Four loss in 2023 — on the Charging.

“You play your last game together and never think you’re going to play together again,” Emma said. “Then we find out about the WLL and thought about how crazy it’d be to potentially be on the same team again. Then we were”

For the Tyrrell sisters, there are goals left to be scored — and achieved — together.

“[It’s] unfinished business,” Meaghan said. “In college, it would’ve been so great to leave with a title, but to have this opportunity to compete for an inaugural title for the WLL, it’s so special.”

They were up two heading into the fourth quarter against Boston College in the 2023 NCAA semifinals. Then they were tied at seven. And after a scoreless closing frame by the Orange, they lost by one. Their season — and Meaghan’s college career — was over.

“It’s never easy,” Meaghan said. “Not everybody can win, and that’s just how it went. That day wasn’t our day.”

Meaghan graduated as the most prolific point producer in program history, setting the mark in her final season when she emerged as a Tewaaraton Award finalist. She was also the Syracuse women’s lacrosse runner-up in career assists and ranked third in career goals.

None of it was front of mind when she heard that final whistle on May 26, 2023. Emma immediately ran up to her, and as the two embraced, they cried, before making their way over to the stands to see fans and their mom, Jewel, and dad, Fran.

“I didn’t want it to be my sister’s last game. I wanted to make it to the championship,” Emma said. “When all was said and done, we were with each other through it all so it was very sad, but I was also so lucky for five years to be able to play alongside her. I will never forget that last game together.”

That now comes with an asterisk, to clarify the last game together *of their college career. And while Emma, who is one year younger than Meaghan, said she didn’t choose Syracuse for any familial reason — rather for the “whole dynamic” of the program and people — it was “such a plus” to have her “best friend” on campus alongside her.

“We truly are best friends,” Meaghan said.

The two grew close in the beginning of high school, Meaghan said. Though the family was seemingly always on the move with their lacrosse tournaments and their younger brother Jack’s wrestling meets, the Tyrrells sat down at the table for family dinner most every school night. Excuses for not doing so were slim: “Unless practice went later,” said Meaghan, who favored pasta night because of her dad’s meatballs and her mom’s sauce. Or the group would escape for an island vacation — Aruba, Key West and Puerto Rico, to name a few — whenever sports allowed.

With all those moments off the field and hours on it, Meaghan said she and Emma “built such a special connection.” It’s one that translated to lacrosse and now faces the refinements of Sixes, the format of the Maybelline WLL Championship Series and variation of the game set to appear in the 2028 Olympics.

On the Charging, Meaghan and Emma will buck toward their first title together alongside former Syracuse teammates Emily Hawryschuk and Meg Carney, a topic that set off the “Meg-Meg Em-Em” group chat after the roster-revealing Zoom, Hawryschuk said. This time, they don’t plan to leave the field empty-handed.

“As much as everyone wants to win a national championship, if you don’t there’s still people — such as myself and my sister — we’re coming,” Emma said. “We can play again. We can compete for another championship.” 

“I’m very excited to make some new memories. Hopefully some championship memories.”