Two quick leads ended in bench-emptying wins for Syracuse as the Orange swept its season-opening scrimmages with Hofstra and Holy Cross Saturday afternoon in the Carrier Dome.

JoJo Marasco and Derek Maltz clicked from the outset, firing SU out to an early 7-1 lead against Hofstra before ultimately running out 15-10 winners. The Orange started more slowly against Holy Cross, resting Derek Maltz and Brian Megill, but SU’s fringe players outlasted the Crusaders 16-6 and proved that the depth and talent that makes Syracuse lacrosse what it is, is still there.

“To see that they came in there, played as well as they did, they didn’t miss a beat,” regular defender Steve Ianzito said. “I can do as well as I do on the field, come off the field and cheer for my teammates.”

It took SU four minutes to find its first goal of the afternoon. Luke Cometti buried a feed from Kevin Rice. Then, the Dome played host to the preseason All-American Marasco and Maltz show.

In the 23:10 that followed Cometti’s opener, the Orange scored six goals – all of which were either assisted or scored by Marasco or Maltz.

Marasco masterfully orchestrated SU’s attack, alternating between midfield and toying with Hofstra defenders behind the net. Maltz pulled his mark in and out of the slot, peeling away from goal for any of Marasco, Rice and Cometti to crash the crease.

But before Syracuse darted out of the tunnel shouting, eager to face its first opponents of the season, Hofstra battled out a 15-12 victory over Holy Cross. It was a test in itself for the Orange to come out ready against a team that was already warmed up.

“Our goal in the locker room, knowing that they scrimmaged before us was to get a good stretch in, get a good warm-up and come out hot,” Marasco said. “We won a couple faceoffs real fast and that was huge for us.”

Heading into the half, nothing was going to keep the Orange first-teamers from running through Hofstra, except Syracuse head coach John Desko. He benched Maltz and other key players like defender Brian Megill. Hofstra crept back into the game through the third quarter. And with three unassisted goals in the space of two minutes in the fourth, the Pride trailed just 10-9.

But with about four minutes remaining, Desko unleashed his goal-scoring hounds and put the game out of reach. Rice returned to the fray, scoring from in close and showing Hofstra who SU’s first team was and why.

“I don’t think we worry about it as much as others,” Desko said of the score and result. “It was good I thought for the psyche that we pulled ahead at the end because I know Hofstra kept their starters out there for the whole time.”

Maltz finished with four goals and an assist, Cometti score three and Marasco assisted on three against Hofstra.

If Desko’s players were worried, they hardly showed it, and in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter the second team put the result out of doubt. The game ended prematurely when Eric DeJohn hurdled himself into the crease from the left wing, slipping the ball past Hofstra goaltender Jason Rosenzweig while getting clattered by a high hit that left him on the turf for a minute.

The foul and the game were then waved off, but the goal stood and the scrimmage ended 15-10. He did not return for the second game against Holy Cross.

Against the Crusaders, the Orange got off to a slightly slower start with regulars Maltz, Ianzito and Megill in sweat clothes.

“We didn’t play him in the second scrimmage because he really doesn’t have anything to prove for us,” Desko said of Maltz. “We want to keep him healthy right now.”

John Hannan opened the scoring for Holy Cross at 13:08, cutting in from the right past Kyle Carey unassisted. But Billy Ward answered with an offspeed shovel shot, signaling the Orange’s impending dominance.

The Crusaders dueled fairly evenly in the first half, playing a more enticing half-field game, but the Orange defense ensured Holy Cross’s early lead would be its only.

In the first minute of the second quarter, with SU up 3-1, Sean Young and Brandon Mullins caught Clay Haarmann behind Bobby Wardwell’s net and ruthlessly stripped the Hofstra attack. And with the Orange leading 9-4 in the third, Ryan Palasek and Kyle Carey sandwiched James Kennedy in transition. As play stopped while the HC senior stripped off his gloves and put his shoe back on behind the end line Joe Fazio shouted at instructions, organizing the defense.

SU conceded goals just twice more, with both coming in garbage time well after the regulars had left the game. And once more a Syracuse goal ended the game as Brenny Daly hammered home with 18 seconds remaining.

The head referee waved his arms and blew the whistle. The day was done, and Syracuse had proven itself.

“When they see a goal as the end result of running an offense it gives more validation to what they’re supposed to be doing,” Desko said of his players. “I think they execute better.”

Published on January 26, 2013 at 7:11 pm

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