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Syracuse’s 20 goals against UAlbany were its most since Feb. 12, 2022, when it notched 28 against Holy Cross. The Crusaders head back to the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, facing the Orange for the third-time ever.

Head coach Gary Gait praised the players for making quick improvements from the Orange’s narrow win over Vermont as 10 players scored for the Orange. Joey Spallina led the charge with five goals on seven shots. Meanwhile, Holy Cross is 0-2 for the second straight year. The Crusaders only won once in 2022.

Here’s what our beat writers expect the happen against Holy Cross (0-2, 0-0 Patriot League):

Anish Vasudevan (2-0)
Ouchtown, population: Holy Cross
Syracuse 25, Holy Cross 9

Holy Cross undoubtedly looks to seek revenge from last year’s embarrassing 23-point loss to Syracuse. But there hasn’t been much crusading at all recently for the Crusaders, who have been stuck in their losing ways for more than a year. They’ve won three games since the start of the 2021 season.

The Orange, on the other hand, are quickly making changes. After dropping the last six games of the 2022 season, Syracuse has achieved its first 2-0 start in three years, possessing a young offense that’s already displayed its ability to adapt from an embarrassing performance in week one. The defense’s aggressiveness paired with Will Mark’s ability in the cage held an opponent to under 10 goals for the second straight game, which hasn’t happened since 2021.

Johnny Richiusa hasn’t yet shown that he can fit into Jakob Phaup’s shoes, but he was crucial in the third quarter to help Syracuse put the game away in the third quarter. This game will be a blowout win for SU, the only question is by how much? The Crusaders have scored nine goals in both games this season. Make it three.

Connor Smith (2-0)
Rollin’ into Maryland
Syracuse 21, Holy Cross 8

Syracuse’s season-opening performance against Vermont wasn’t super impressive, but its one against UAlbany certainly was. Especially impressive was Spallina, who avenged a poor game against the Catamounts when he scored just once while taking a team-high 15 shots. Spallina scored five goals on only seven shots, an efficient performance only matched by Jackson Birtwhistle’s three goals on as many shots. Owen Hiltz also scored three times on five shots.

Head coach Gait said SU’s offense is designed to spread the ball around and get several players involved, and that was on display against the Great Danes, with three players notching hat tricks. The Orange’s defense impressed for the second straight game, too, with Mark topping his 13-save performance versus Vermont with 14 against UAlbany.

It all means that Syracuse is playing solid lacrosse right now, and that should continue against an 0-2 Holy Cross team that lost by 23 in the Dome last February. The Crusaders are the easiest opponent on SU’s schedule, and the Orange shouldn’t have a problem picking up win No. 3. The real question is only whether Syracuse can top its 20 goals from Friday. And after another win, SU will be in great shape when it heads down to College Park, Maryland to face the second-ranked Terrapins next weekend.

Anthony Alandt (1-1)
Truckin’
Syracuse 22, Holy Cross 6

Syracuse put on an absolute show against UAlbany on Friday night, avenging last year’s loss to the Great Danes to the tune of the most goals in over a year. Spallina delighted Syracuse fans at the Dome, and 10 different players found the back of the net. Expect the same, even to a more extreme rate, against Holy Cross. Last year, the 28-5 win over the Crusaders stood as a tantalizing way to start off the Gait era, though it quickly turned into an aberration. But in just two matchups, the Orange have had Holy Cross’s number, and it hasn’t even been close.

This time, the Crusaders enter without their leading goal scorer from last year and are off to a sluggish, 0-2 start featuring losses to Providence and Merrimack. They haven’t totalled more than nine goals in a game and are shooting at a 25.4% rate. While Thomas McIntire has scored four goals apiece in each game this season, he is the only true offensive threat, one I expect the Orange’s experienced defense to seamlessly shut down.

Rendering McIntire ineffective, and with a better faceoff performance from Richiusa, Syracuse is going to glide to another dominant win, one that will see it control time of possession and fire in a litany of shots at junior goalie Dawson Friers. 3-0 and off to the defending champs.

Published on February 11, 2023 at 6:07 pm