PROVIDENCE, R.I. – At first look, it’s no big deal. Just another win over a fiery underdog that, in the end, had no chance of sticking with the talent of the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team.

At second glance, it’s a continuation of a revealing trend for the Orangemen – fall behind early, let reality set in and dominate.

At third analysis, Syracuse’s 13-6 drubbing of Brown could be the most significant win this season. Not because the Orangemen had to come back from a 4-1 deficit – that was the easy part. And not because No. 10 Brown entered undefeated – that’s not a true indicator of talent: Ten times out of 10, SU should beat Brown.

The win over Brown went a long way in proving the ills of last season have been unquestionably exorcized. Because when SU lost five games in the regular season a year ago, it wasn’t for lack of talent. It was because the Orangemen lost games like Saturday’s, and that’s something they’ve avoided this year.

There the Orangemen were, huddling in a thimble-sized locker room, fresh off a five-hour bus trip. Frigid ocean air, a field like a backyard and an inferior team awaited.

This is why Syracuse lost last year.

‘This is the type of game last year we kind of came out flat,’ SU midfielder Greg Rommel said.

On Saturday, Syracuse made its No. 3 ranking stand up and won convincingly, playing three quarters so efficiently that Henry Ford would’ve blushed.

This is why Syracuse is winning this year, why Syracuse is Syracuse again.

A year ago, Syracuse lost focus in games like Saturday’s and overlooked its opponent. And hey, why not? The Orangemen were national champs. Why should they have to show up for the likes of Hofstra or Massachusetts?

That complacent attitude worked fine until the Orangemen looked up in the fourth quarter and saw themselves on the wrong end of some embarrassing scores. A 12-11 home loss to Rutgers. An 8-6 loss at Hofstra.

‘Last year we were a lot more laid back,’ SU defenseman Dan DiPietro said. ‘I think that’s because they won the championship the year before. When you’re on top, you get a little complacent. This year, that’s not the case. Last year was a big wake-up call.’

Now, the Orangemen can officially hit the snooze button. The problems that plagued them have been solved, it seems, for good. SU’s only loss this season, a 17-5 hiccup against Johns Hopkins, was damaging.

But the way they bounced back shows this year’s team strength. Last year, finger-pointing prevailed when things went south. Conversely, these Orangemen have become tight, whether it be spreading the ball around or hanging out after practice.

‘We weren’t really playing together last year,’ SU attackman Michael Powell said. ‘There’s not a guy that’s out there for himself this year.’

Cliques dominated last year’s team. Team chemistry has been so improved that SU’s captains – DiPietro, goalie Jay Pfeifer, Steve Vallone and Sean Lindsay – should wear lab coats to practice. Last year, players went their separate ways after practice. This year, when the weather calls for it, team barbecues are thrown. Everybody attends.

That closeness shows on game days. When SU fell behind, 4-1, on Saturday, the Orangemen didn’t panic or play any blame games. SU head coach John Desko called timeout and gathered his team.

He didn’t chew out the Orangemen. He didn’t have to. Desko simply told his team to calm down, pointed out some minor defensive adjustments and let his experienced team take over.

Soon enough, SU had reeled off a 6-0 run, typical of the great Syracuse teams of the past. That’s something this year’s edition is trying to become, and, one year removed from a rare, five-loss season, it’s off to a good start.

‘From the first day of Fall Ball, it seemed a little different this year,’ Rommel said. ‘Guys were just a little more focused. It’s certainly manifested itself.’

It certainly has, and not just against elite teams. The Orangemen haven’t just beaten inferior opponents, they’ve been crushing them – anything but overlooking them.

They’ve learned their lesson from a year ago. Syracuse is Syracuse again.

Adam Kilgore is the sports editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear regularly. E-mail him at adkilgor@syr.edu.

Published on April 4, 2004 at 12:00 pm