Galasso shows progress in midfield, nets crucial game-tying goal against Binghamton
Spencer Bodian | Staff Photographer
Nicky Galasso moves down the left side of the field in Syracuse's 10-8 win over Binghamton on Wednesday night. The junior netted a big goal in the third and showed the progress he's made as a midfielder.
Nicky Galasso has spent much of this season adjusting to the midfield.
The junior — who transferred from North Carolina and sat on the Syracuse sideline with a foot injury for all of last season — has moved from his natural attack position to the Orange’s midfield and displayed the strides he’s taken against Binghamton on Wednesday night.
“I had a little setback in the beginning of the year and it just takes a little bit of time,” Galasso said. “But I feel like I’m getting more and more comfortable as practice goes on. The first midfield line keeps helping me out during practice and it’s key.
“Now when we get to the games I’m just more and more comfortable and ready to play.”
Galasso was a working part of the offense for much of Syracuse’s (6-3, 1-3 Atlantic Coast) 10-8 win over the Bearcats (3-6, 1-0 America East) and tallied one goal when he knotted the score at 6-6 in the third quarter. On the heels of that goal, the Orange built a three-goal lead that it wouldn’t relinquish, which underscored Galasso’s importance as a versatile scorer on SU’s second midfield line.
“We started getting more movement,” SU midfielder Scott Loy said of the stretch following Galasso’s goal, “and started putting the ball in the back of the net.”
The second midfield line — consisting of Galasso, Randy Staats and Billy Ward — didn’t see the field for the first six minutes of the game, but gained a strong foothold in the lineup as the game moved on.
Each player is a converted attack and it was Galasso who showcased that. While he’s waded into the midfield this season, most of his shots have been from distance.
But after collecting a feed behind the net, a defender overplayed him and he took advantage. He swooped in to the left side of the cage and released a low shot that bounced past Binghamton goalie Tanner Cosens and into the back of the net.
It was a move he has rarely used this season, but certainly isn’t foreign to him.
Galasso said: “I used to be an attackman. I’m pretty used to doing that.”
Published on April 3, 2014 at 12:19 am
Contact Jesse: jcdoug01@syr.edu | @dougherty_jesse
