No. 1 Syracuse (7-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast) annihilated No. 4 Duke (7-2, 0-1), 19-7, on Sunday afternoon in the Carrier Dome. Here are three quick takeaways from a game in which the Orange scored its most first-half goals — 13 — since the 2014 season opener.

Myles away

Myles Jones, Duke’s top midfielder and arguably the best at his position in the country, was held to no goals on eight shot attempts with one assist by a committee of Syracuse midfielders on Sunday.

Every time Jones got the ball, an SU fan yelled “Shoot it!” And on the occasion that Jones did, it was either deflected, missed the target or ended up in SU goalie Bobby Wardwell’s stick.

In the third quarter, Jones was being double-teamed in the right alley and was called for a push-off. He turned from the field and jogged to the sideline, mouthing words to the ref as he did so.

Then later in the quarter, SU defender Brandon Mullins laid out the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Jones, leaving him on his back as Mullins spearheaded a counterattack the other way.

King Henry

Through the first five games of the season, SU first-line midfielder Henry Schoonmaker only scored two goals, while linemates Hakeem Lecky and Nicky Galasso combined for 17.

But against the Blue Devils, Schoonmaker had three — all in the first quarter — to help the Orange get out to a lead it wouldn’t come close to relinquishing.

The first two were lasers from about 20 yards out and the third was a bouncer that deflected off the stick of Duke goalie Luke Aaron. But regardless of how they came, the fifth-year senior has five goals in the last two games and is beginning to round into form.

Bent in half

Before Syracuse started to fade at the faceoff X with the game out of hand, Ben Williams dominated.

He started off winning 13-of-16 in the opening half against Blue Devils faceoff man Jack Rowe. Williams also added his third goal of the season, three more than SU faceoff specialists combined for in the last two seasons.

And after drawing a foul in the offensive end in the fourth quarter, Williams jogged off as the home crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.

Published on March 22, 2015 at 2:55 pm

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