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Syracuse followed up an ugly 7-5 win against Vermont with an offensive masterpiece Friday evening against UAlbany. Avenging last year’s 14-12 loss, the Orange — led by five goals from Joey Spallina — poured 20 goals on the Great Danes, including seven in the third quarter to cement their first 2-0 start since 2020. Now, they’ll welcome Holy Cross to the JMA Wireless Dome, hoping to continue the hot start in nonconference play. It’ll be one final tuneup before Syracuse travels to Maryland to take on the reigning national champions in College Park.

Holy Cross got blanked by the Orange in the Dome last year, losing 28-5 en route to a 1-13 season. After starting the COVID-shortened 2020 season 4-3 the Crusaders, under third year head coach J.L. Reppert, have won just three games since and are off to an 0-2 start this season. They’ve put up nine goals both times in losing efforts to Merrimack and Providence, and finished last season with just four games notching 10 or more goals.

Here’s everything you need to know about Holy Cross (0-2, 0-0 Patriot League) before it takes on Syracuse.

All-time series

Syracuse leads 2-0.

Last time they played

The Gary Gait era of men’s lacrosse at Syracuse got off to an electrifying start with a 28-5 win over Holy Cross. After a nine-goal first quarter, the Orange piled on the Crusaders with 10 goals in the second quarter, entering halftime with a 19-3 lead. Nine more goals in the second half — and another scoreless quarter from Holy Cross — and the Orange were off to the races in a 2022 season that quickly went off the tracks. It stood as the most goals Syracuse had scored since it notched 28 against Hobart in 1994.

“We’re being a lot more patient,” Owen Seebold said. “We’re sharing the ball with each other and with most of our goals coming off assists you can see that it’s working.”

He and Tucker Dordevic paced Syracuse with five goals apiece, leading a crop of 13 different goal scorers. The payoff of a long offseason, one that saw the departure of Hall of Fame head coach John Desko and the addition of Gait, was an all-out domination of the Crusaders. 

Defensively, Dave Pietramala showcased the new-look Syracuse defense in his first game with the Orange. Holy Cross was held to just five goals on 27 shots, beginning with Jakop Phaup, who went 15-for-18 from the faceoff X, one of his best performances for the Orange. Syracuse’s defense, however, went on to allow 14.7 goals per game throughout a tumultuous season that also saw historically poor play from goalies Bobby Gavin and Harrison Thompson.

The Crusader report

Coming off one of the worst seasons in program history, the Crusaders are already off to a bad start, dropping both games this season in low-scoring affairs. They have a small group of upperclassmen that have garnered the majority of points and goals for Holy Cross, but just seven players have recorded a goal thus far. The Crusaders have managed just 71 shots through two games and are firing at a 25.4% rate. 

They are trying to rebound from a season that saw them flutter down the NCAA RPI rankings, settling in at 70th in the country out of 73 teams. But Holy Cross lost its top goal scorer Will Spangenberg, who was held to just one assist and one shot on goal last year against Syracuse. The team’s leading point-getter, Dean DiNanno, is off to a quiet start, registering just one goal and one assist through the first two games this season.

How Syracuse beats Holy Cross

Strike early and often, and maintain possession. Faceoff man Johnny Richiusa played well against UAlbany and is now 24-for-45 this season, but could improve on his first two games against Holy Cross, leading to more Syracuse possessions early and more opportunities for goals early. The Orange showed on Friday night that when they can control their shots on goal, especially Spallina, they’re going to have plenty of chances in nonconference play to rack up goals quickly. 

Alex Simmons’ four assists also show that Syracuse has enough veteran presence on offense to find chances once attackers like Cole Kirst and Jackson Birtwistle cut inside toward the crease. Junior goalie Dawson Friers is going to block some chances, and the Orange are likely not going to be able to capitalize on UAlbany’s “sluggish” play in front of the net, but Friers is only saving shots at a 44.7% rate this season. 

If the Orange can pile on early, just like they did last year to the tune of 19 first-half goals, they’ll easily move to 3-0. Holy Cross just doesn’t have the attacking prowess that Syracuse, or even UAlbany or Vermont has, and Syracuse already held those two teams to less than 10 goals.

Stat to know: 9

Syracuse hasn’t held three or more consecutive opponents to under 10 goals since the end of the 2019 season when it won four straight games against Hobart, No. 10 Cornell, No. 18 North Carolina and Navy. The Orange have a chance to do that again against Holy Cross, whom they held to just five goals last season. Through two games, the Crusaders have notched just nine goals both times and have found limited success historically through both matchups with Syracuse. Pietramala’s defense is the more experienced unit, helmed by goalie Will Mark, who is off to an impressive start in net. 

Player to watch: Thomas McIntire, attack/midfielder, No. 31

Through just seven games last season — four of which he started — McIntire finished with 16 goals and three assists. He’s already scored eight goals through two games, acting as the majority of the Crusader’s offense in both games this season. If the Orange are going to have trouble stopping anyone, it’s McIntire, who’s one of the more aggressive midfielders for Holy Cross that continues to be played as an additional attack. If Syracuse can clamp down and sharply guard him, the Orange are going to have a much easier time stopping any offense from Holy Cross.

Published on February 11, 2023 at 5:57 pm

Contact Anthony: aalandt@syr.edu | @anthonyalandt