Men's Lacrosse

Grading Syracuse men’s lacrosse midway through the season

Ally Moreo | Photo Editor

The Orange has found success on the season, going 5-1. But every game since the opener has been decided by one goal.

Six weeks into the 2017 season, No. 6 Syracuse holds a 5-1 record and 1-0 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Orange, which finished 12-5 and as ACC champions in 2016, has played in five straight one-goal games. The most recent came in an 8-7 overtime thriller at Johns Hopkins. Syracuse returned three All-Americans this season and has bolted off to a strong first half. The Daily Orange beat writers dish out superlatives, break down each unit and analyze what the Orange needs to do in the second half of the year.

Grades (A-F)

Charlie DiSturco
– Goalie: A-
– Defense: B+
– Midfield: A-
– Attack: B
– Face-off: B

Matthew Gutierrez
– Goalie: A
– Defense: B
– Midfield: A-
– Attack: B
– Face-off: B

Sam Fortier
– Goalie: A-
– Defense: B-
– Midfield: A
– Attack: B
– Face-off: B



Sam Fortier

Biggest surprise: Tyson Bomberry
Tyson Bomberry didn’t display his potential last season because he barely saw the field. In 2016, he appeared in four games and scored one goal while dishing out two assists. Entering this season, he was in the mix for the third defender spot with Marcus Cunningham after Scott Firman and Nick Mellen. Now, he’s seized his position as arguably one of the team’s most valuable players. He can defend size and quickness and jumpstart a transition attack. In six games (all starts), he has a goal and an assist, and he’s consistently combatted the opponent’s second-best offensive player. His frame (6-foot, 219 pounds), unique combination of stick skills (thanks, box lax) and speed make him a weapon for Syracuse — one that appeared out of seemingly nowhere.

Evaluating the defense
Syracuse’s most uncertain unit to start the year has played like its best recently. Rocked by two graduations and a season-sidelining shoulder surgery, the Orange turned to longstick midfield-convert Scott Firman and two unproven underclassmen Marcus Cunningham and Tyson Bomberry. Now, SU has the No. 25-ranked defense in the NCAA and has allowed double-digit goals in just two of its six games. Evan Molloy’s provided near-elite play in net and the group has solidified to carry the Orange while it shuffles the offense.

Charlie DiSturco

MVP: Scott Firman
Syracuse faced questions on defense entering the year as it lost two starters to graduation and its third to a season-ending injury. The Orange suddenly had Scott Firman as its No. 1 option. Now, six games in, Firman has become the leader SU needs. He limited First Team All-Big Ten and star Johns Hopkins attack Shack Stanwick to just one assist. A month prior, he held All-American Connor Fields goalless. In a season filled with uncertainty, Firman has been a constant, anchoring the Syracuse defensive line.

Disappointment: Jordan Evans
This was supposed to be the year for Jordan Evans. And just like the three seasons prior, he hasn’t fully done justice to No. 22. Without Dylan Donahue, head coach John Desko looked to Evans to become the team’s quarterback. Save for a career-high eight points against winless Siena, Evans has only eight points in six games. He has been hesitant to shoot, averaging just over three shots per game, fewer than Sergio Salcido, Nick Mariano, Brendan Bomberry and Matt Lane. In the Orange’s close one-goal games, Evans didn’t take the game-winning shot once. That was for Mariano, Salcido and Bomberry. Evans’ season can be summed up on what occurred in the closing seconds against Albany: Nate Solomon had the game-winning assist to Mariano. Evans? He set the pick for Mariano.

Evaluating the Midfield
The midfield has been one of the driving forces in Syracuse’s comeback victories. All-American Sergio Salcido leads the team in assists (14), dodging and creating open space for opportunities to unfold in front of the cage. He even scored the game-winning goal against Virginia with 15 seconds left. Most of Salcido’s passes end up in the stick of Brendan Bomberry, the team leader in goals (13). Despite being right outside the crease and a defender’s stick right on him, Bomberry has been able to fight through traffic and score. Up front, the midfield is dominant.

Matthew Gutierrez

Evaluating the Attack
What’s surprising is how much production SU has gotten from its attack. Senior southpaw Nick Mariano leads Syracuse in points (22) and Jordan Evans and Nate Solomon have combined for 28 points. Evans’ turnover numbers are down, but that’s because he has not taken hold of the quarterback role the way we thought a No. 22 would in his fourth season. Solomon has quietly put together a nice campaign for a first-year starter, and underclassmen Stephen Rehfuss and Brad Voigt can provide a spark off the bench form time to time. Overall, the attack has been good, not great.

X-factor moving forward: Team defense
Without its defense, the Orange would not be in position to win games late. The unit ranks a mere 25th in goals allowed per game (9.5) and 33rd in man-up defense, but there has hardly been a time when the opposition’s top threat had his way for an extended period. Next up on SU’s list is Duke and its ninth-ranked offense, followed by trips to high-powered offenses in Notre Dame and North Carolina. Halting easy transition goals and buckling down on rebound scores will be key. More big stops from Molloy and Co. are vital for Syracuse’s success.





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