CHESTER, Pa. — Kevin Rice and JoJo Marasco had nearly unlimited options.

The duo combined for seven assists, pacing No. 10 Syracuse (3-1, 1-0 Big East) to a 13-11 win over St. John’s (3-2, 0-1 Big East). SU’s crisp passing and balanced attack doomed the Red Storm on Saturday afternoon at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. in the Whitman’s Sampler Independence Classic.

“We have a whole bunch of guys that are putting the ball in the back of the net and shooting pretty well,” Marasco said. “I just like to dodge and hopefully I can find someone open, and it’s been working pretty well so far.”

Nine different players scored for SU, as Rice and Marasco’s passing and Derek Maltz’ goal scoring propelled the Orange to victory in its first Big East contest of the season.

The duo of Marasco and Maltz was explosive from the get-go.

With the score tied at 1 eight minutes in, Marasco found Maltz bustling through the St. John’s zone. Maltz caught the pass and converted on a turnaround shot, fading away from goal.

Marasco finished with four assists, while Rice tallied three and Luke Cometti and Steve Ianzito added one apiece.

After Kieran McArdle fueled a 3-0 Red Storm spurt to tie the game at 4, Marasco and Maltz teamed up again. This time, Maltz beat goaltender Jeff Lowman up top, putting the Orange ahead of St. John’s once again.

“They do a really good job of getting (Maltz) in the spot where he’s most dangerous,” St. John’s head coach Jason Miller said. “… I thought our guys did a pretty good job of handling it, but if you give him that many opportunities he’s going to score.”

While Maltz and Marasco paced Syracuse early on, St. John’s offense ran through McArdle. Every time he had the ball, he threatened to score. McArdle received the ball in isolation situations, lurking around the net on his go-to left side. He finished with four goals, but SJU relied on the Big East’s leader in points per game too frequently and its offense stagnated.

Syracuse, though, had an unpredictable attack. Eight different players scored for the Orange against Virginia on March 1. Against SJU, Maltz scored three, Cometti and Scott Loy contributed with two and six other players chipped in with one.

The scoring came from a hodgepodge of sources. Late in the third quarter, with the game tied at nine, it came from one of the least likely sources: defender Brian Megill.

When Megill’s shot went in, it was as if he didn’t even know how to react. He was shocked. He jumped up with two feet and pumped his fist. The strike marked his first of the season and just the second of his career.

“I’ve got to work on my celebration,” Megill said. “But, no, I think we needed it. I think we were tied up at that point. I was just trying to spark something for the team.”

That’s exactly what he did. Off an unselfish pass from Cometti – who could have easily ripped a contested shot – Megill’s goal gave the Orange momentum heading into the final quarter.

Goals from Cometti, Derek DeJoe – on Rice’s pass from his customary spot behind the net – and Loy iced the game for SU, as the Orange outscored the Red Storm 3-2 in the final frame and crept away with a conference-opening win.

SU outshot SJU 47-32, showcasing its ability to penetrate the zone and work the ball around the attack. Syracuse constantly bombarded Lowman in net thanks to its fluid passing and sharp offensive execution.

McArdle’s four goals and Kevin Cernuto’s hat trick helped SJU hang around, but SU was too much to handle. The balance that’s defined Syracuse’s season so far was on display yet again, as the Orange fended off the Red Storm.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” SU head coach John Desko said. “We just went out and rolled up our sleeves and took it one goal at a time.”

Published on March 9, 2013 at 5:14 pm

Contact Trevor: tbhass@syr.edu | @TrevorHass