Dylan Donahue wasted minimal time acclimating himself to his refined role in Syracuse’s offense.

Less than two minutes into the start of the season, Donahue charged from alongside Siena’s crease while pressing up against long-stick midfielder Jon-Michael Tokar. While facing away from goalkeeper Tommy Cordts, Donahue blindly ripped a low shot past the Saints keeper to give SU its first goal and lead of the season.

Instead of accentuating acrobatic passes with goals like he often did last year, Donahue set the precedent early for how he’s going to conduct the offense as its focal point this year.

“I think the best thing (Donahue’s) done with all those other guys gone,” head coach John Desko said, “he’s leading this offense and directing things on the field.”

The senior attack helped orchestrate No. 5 SU (1-0) to an 18-5 season-opening win over Siena (0-1). While publicly stating his preference to avoid the spotlight, he supplanted himself firmly below it tying a career-high with nine points.

Cushioning his four goals was five assists, more than he had in any game last year in his 50-goal season. While scoring the game’s first goal, he primarily conducted the offense from the X position behind the net. Five minutes after his first goal, Donahue lofted a pass to midfielder Sergio Salcido over the net and several Siena defenders.

The 5-foot-7 redshirt junior promptly wound up and unfurled a laser into the top-right corner of the net, and was swarmed by Syracuse’s attack.

“I felt very comfortable,” Donahue said of playing from the X. “…It definitely felt good out there and it felt good to play a game again.”

Syracuse is 272 days removed from its abrupt, season-ending loss to Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Quarterfinals last year. It was the last time the Orange rolled out its top-heavy attack of Donahue, Kevin Rice and Randy Staats.

Recognizing the seven new starters taking the field for SU, Donahue astutely worked the ball around the Syracuse offense. Six different players accounted for the Orange’s 6-0 lead into the early minutes of the second quarter.

New first-line attack member Jordan Evans accounted for the sixth goal on a feed from Donahue. Evans sidestepped Saints midfielder Michael Cox and fired through an open window.

Cox could only look up at the Carrier Dome ceiling following the score as the game quickly grew out of reach.

“(Donahue) understands to take what the defense gives him,” Siena head coach John Svec said. “He understands his teammates; you can see they have good chemistry.

“…He’s a hell of a player.”

The six-goal streak of different scorers was broken less than a minute after Evans’ score. Two-thirds of the Orange’s entirely new starting midfield line — Salcido and Tim Barber — swung the ball around Siena’s defensive perimeter and looked to infiltrate.

Donahue loomed a couple yards off Cordts’ crease and took a dish from Barber. While standing nearly parallel with the goal, Donahue swung a shot over the head of charging freshman defender Jack Twohig and past Cordts.

Even without the ball largely in his stick as it whizzed in and out of the Saints defense, the Orange’s offense still funneled through decision-making of Donahue.

“For him to be our quarterback out there helps things go more smoothly,” Desko said.

As the lead extended out further in the opening minutes of the second half, Donahue and several Syracuse starters gave way to second- and third-line players. To cap off his marquee day, Donahue found Barber standing on the lip of the crease for a quickstick goal.

After the game Donahue said with the fluidity of Syracuse’s offense, fans will never really know who’s going to be the primary scorer. What’s growing evermore likely though, is that it’s going to be the same player that’s getting the ball in the scorers’ stick.

“(Donahue) put up the points today,” Desko said. “(But) he’s going to be a marked man … so we need to keep developing the other players.”

Published on February 13, 2016 at 5:35 pm

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