Syracuse hosted Hofstra and Le Moyne at the Ensley Athletic Center for a series of scrimmages on Saturday morning through the mid-afternoon. The Orange defeated the Pride, 18-8, and took down the Dolphins by a score of 10-9 in game two.

Here are several notes on the exhibitions that were open to the media for 90 minutes, but closed off to the general public:

X-man

What started as an open proclamation of competition by SU head coach John Desko at the faceoff X throughout the fall and preseason, has turned more into a one-man show. Ben Williams, a transfer from Holy Cross, has given a sense of clarity at the X. He took the majority of the faceoffs in the first half of the Hofstra scrimmage, Desko said, and hopes that he can stamp Williams as the man to replace Chris Daddio as specialist.

“He’s done a terrific job,” Desko said. “He’s done a lot of work on his own. Coach Donahue has spent a bunch of time with him and the other faceoff guys.”

Desko said finding a faceoff specialist is a priority for the Orange, and that there are six or seven other guys still in competition for reps. And after Williams got his chances in the first half, the second half was done by committee. It was Williams, though, that set himself apart from the rest.

New digs

Saturday marked the first organized athletic event in the new indoor athletic center. Last season, the team was not always able to practice on a regulation field, which was to SU’s detriment in the early going, Desko said.

“It’s huge, and I think you saw that today,” Desko said, “I think our spacing was pretty good, we moved the ball well. Fewer turnovers than we had this time last year. Clearing the ball is better, riding’s better. Everything is better when you have a game facility.”

Defender Brandon Mullins said after the game that it hurt last year to only have a 60-yard facility.

“You just look around and you see this amazing facility,” Mullins said. “You’ve got the speakers blasting. The guys just can’t wait to practice here.”

Net goal

Two weeks ago, Desko committed to Bobby Wardwell as his starter in goal for the beginning of the season. On Saturday, when asked again, there was no such assurance.

Desko said he’d use Wardwell and Onondaga Community College transfer Warren Hill equally on Saturday. Wardwell started with the first-line defense against Hofstra. Hill started with the first-line defense against Le Moyne.

“This is a big moment to show who’s going to be playing,” Wardwell said. “… As long as we’re winning games that’s the most important part.”

Published on January 24, 2015 at 4:28 pm

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3