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A mere two days after Colgate released shockwaves throughout the lacrosse world, Syracuse sent it plummeting back to Earth.

The Raiders entered the JMA Wireless Dome off a 13-12 win over No. 4 Penn State — the program’s best victory in over a decade. All of a sudden, SU’s second contest of 2024 upgraded from a tune-up to a pivotal test. But as Vermont learned in the season-opener, it takes more than hype and anticipation to stall a Joey Spallina-led attack.

No. 9 Syracuse (2-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) swiftly ended Colgate’s (1-1, 0-0 Patriot League) one-game Cinderella run in an 18-10 win. The Raiders’ sideline rapidly shifted from pregame pandemonium to utter disbelief within the first five minutes — when SU ignited for five goals before the first stoppage of play. Syracuse utilized Spallina’s distribution to mount a large lead early, as the star attack tied a career-best five assists. Meanwhile, the Raiders couldn’t take advantage at the faceoff X, losing the battle 24-7.

“Offensively, I think you’ve seen a lot of great chemistry in our first two games,” SU head coach Gary Gait said postgame. “Some multiple highlight goals with ball movement and that’s what we focus on and work on.”

Gait spoke on his team finding an identity during a Feb. 1 media session, saying it “comes as you play.” For the first quarter, his squad’s identity was clear: let Spallina direct from X.

Right after Mason Kohn controlled the opening faceoff, Spallina fired an errant pass from X which Colgate picked up at midfield. The Raiders, though, couldn’t take advantage of the early miscue. SU worked possession back to Spallina behind the cage again and this time, his pass was on target. He found Owen Hiltz, who whipped in a goal for a 1-0 lead.

The opening goal kick-started a cycle of dominance for Syracuse, spurred by Spallina’s play from X. On almost every instance, the Orange filtered the ball to Spallina behind the cage. There, he stood practically motionless — with no Colgate defenders even attempting to cover him — and calmly waited for an open player to materialize.

“I think the last time that happened to me was actually in high school,” Spallina said of Colgate leaving him alone at X. “I think the big thing though is the guys that are dodging and they’re creating a slide, and they’re able to throw it to me and then I’m able to find that guy.”

Spallina’s pristine feeds — paired with screens from Hiltz, Christian Mulé and Co. — created a first-quarter offensive machine. The sophomore attack racked up two goals and three assists through 15 minutes. The stretch included Spallina assists from X to Hiltz, Finn Thomson and Michael Leo, and a behind-the-back goal that he ripped in from the right of the crease.

The pure opposite to Syracuse, Colgate’s offense was unbalanced to start. SU’s speedy back end stalled the Raiders’ off-ball movement. They did manage to sneak out of the first with some insurance as Hunter Drouin caught the Orange sleeping on the ride and put one between Will Mark’s legs.

The script was flipped for most of the second. Syracuse got away from its routine, which built it a 7-2 cushion, and instead displayed a stagnant offense reliant on longer shot attempts. It took the Orange 7:54 to net their first goal of the second quarter, courtesy of Spallina’s third goal of the night. But in that time, the Raiders cut their deficit in half and responded to Spallina with two more to make it 8-6.

Colgate forced six SU turnovers in the second, which led to its offensive outburst. At that point, the flow of Monday’s game was eerily similar to the Raiders’ upset of Penn State — where Colgate wreaked havoc in the middle of the field and capitalized on the attack.

“We guarded well in that quarter, and our offense was moving the ball well,” Raiders head coach Matt Karweck said. “And you look at the ride situation, we turned them over a ton. I thought we did a great job putting our foot on the gas right there.”

A Saam Olexo man-up goal, which spurred from a caused turnover on the ride, sent SU into the break up 9-6. To respond from their first lost quarter of the season, the Orange needed to reclaim their opening-period mojo.

“It’s hard to say you know this is what this team’s all about because we haven’t faced any adversity,” Gait said on Feb. 1. “Our identity will come.”

The second half saw Syracuse immediately revert back to its original offensive set. It won faceoffs, thrusted possession to Spallina behind the cage and let him hit open men. Spallina hit Hiltz along the left crease for an easy goal to increase SU’s lead to 11-6. Later on, Spallina fired a pass from X to Leo, who unleashed a rocket from 15 yards out which got past Colgate’s Matt LaCombe for a 14-7 advantage.

With under three and a half minutes to go in the third, Spallina added insult to injury. He received a feed from Thompson parallel to the left crease. Spallina extended his arms, and sliced a low shot that squeaked by LaCombe’s left foot for his fourth goal of the evening.

In 2023, Spallina didn’t even have an assist through SU’s first two games. Over the same timeframe this year — where he’s tallied nine assists and the Orange have exploded for 38 goals — Spallina has dwarfed his early freshman totals.

Though it’s only been two games, Spallina’s calculated distribution from X appears to be a major piece of unlocking Syracuse’s identity, one in which Gait has yearned for.

“Our identity from last year (is) continuing and even growing this year to become a little bit better, more cohesive and spread the ball a little bit more,” Gait said. “You’re going to see highlight goals every game.”

Published on February 5, 2024 at 8:32 pm

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews