Nate Solomon toed the yellow line on the back side of the crease, scanned the defense through the twine of the net and stepped forward to his right.

Coming across the goal line, Navy’s defense didn’t pick Solomon up as he turned to goalie Ryan Kern and dropped a shot into the back of the net. By initiating offense from behind the crease, Solomon gave Syracuse the lead and unlocked a new offensive style.

“He’s a threat to dodge and he’s got his head up and he’s finding open people now,” SU head coach John Desko said of Solomon. “So I think it’s nice to have the attack clicking this time of year.”

Though Solomon took the chance himself to open things up against Navy, No. 4 seeded Syracuse’s (9-3, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) attacks have changed the Orange’s offense in recent weeks by initiating more offense — both scoring and assisting — from behind the net. Since losing to Notre Dame, the Orange closed the season on a four-game win streak in which they’re averaging 2.9 more goals per game than in the first eight. The new scoring element has balanced a previously one-dimensional offense days before SU travels to face No. 5 seed North Carolina (7-6, 1-3) for Thursday’s ACC Tournament play-in game in Chapel Hill.

Eva Suppa | Contributing Digital Designer

For the first eight weeks of Syracuse’s season, its offense relied heavily on midfielders dodging and creating open looks from the top of the offensive zone. The Orange’s most common look was Brendan Curry or Jamie Trimboli dodging down outside of the alley and looking to shoot or pass to an attack waiting near the crease. And more often than not, opposing defenders stayed with the dodging midfielders.

The lack of space, though, ultimately hurt the Orange’s offense. With Bradley Voigt posted in front of cage and SU’s other two attacks — Solomon and Stephen Rehfuss — typically hugging the post, close defenders filled the space around them while easily sliding to dodging midfielders up top.

When the Orange’s offense truly stalled, Solomon came to the midfield and played with the ball from there, so Syracuse could have an attack in control.

Desko noticed the offensive stagnation and tweaked the team’s approach. SU’s new offensive impetus puts the ball in the care of Solomon and Rehfuss most of the time. The Orange trust their upperclassmen attacks to read the whole field from behind the cage, dodge out to one side and look to pass or shoot.

“So now if you leave the inside, (Voigt)’s open,” Desko said. “And if you don’t, then you don’t slide to those guys behind. It just opens the whole offense up.”

Solomon did some of this earlier in the season, to moderate success, but was largely shut off when he tried to dodge and score for himself. Now, Desko said, Solomon is seeing the field better and looking to pass more. Through the first eight games, Solomon had six assists. He’s tallied seven more in the final four games of the regular season.

Eva Suppa | Contributing Digital Designer

Rehfuss, the preseason All-ACC selection, also struggled early. Through three games, he had one assist. After the loss to Notre Dame, he’d tallied 14 points to date. He’s scored 18 more during the Orange’s four-game win streak.

Rehfuss’ reemergence coincides with SU’s shift to a play style that suits him better because he’s free to use his vision to find cutting midfielders and Voigt inside. He’s also gotten healthier after catching the flu at the beginning of the season and playing through the illness a handful of undisclosed injuries.

With less than a minute left in the first half against Navy, Rehfuss dodged left from behind the cage, turned to his right and left and got cut off. He picked his head up saw Voigt by the crease. As defenders hacked, Rehfuss flipped a pass to Voigt, who cradled and bounced a shot in with one second left on the shot clock, tallying one of Rehfuss’ seven points (two goals, five assists).

“I’m sure he’s feeling better about himself,” Desko said of Rehfuss. “It’s obviously showing in his performance. I think we’re getting some dodges off him, getting some good assists off him.”

Syracuse’s offense has taken off since emphasizing play behind the cage. Not only has the Orange scored more goals in its four wins to end the season, but done so more efficiently. SU’s shooting at a higher percentage, scoring on 7.725 percent more of its shots amid the four-game win streak.

Solomon and Rehfuss have shown they can score from behind the cage. If they’re covered well, they can dodge from behind and feed Voigt inside or skip a pass to a cutting midfielder. And, SU’s deep midfield can initiate if the right matchup arises.

“We were almost one-dimensional to start the season, dodging from up top,” Voigt said. “And as soon as Stephen and Nate started dodging from behind, it’s helped us out tremendously and it gives a whole new threat.”

Published on April 24, 2019 at 10:31 pm

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