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After breezing through three nonconference opponents, the Orange were hit with a reality check in College Park, Maryland. A week later, they received another wake-up call against North Carolina, losing 19-13.

The Orange face their second Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in No. 6 Duke on Sunday. The Blue Devils lost by one goal to then-No. 17 Jacksonville, but they’ve rebounded with back-to-back close wins, including an overtime victory over Denver.

Here’s everything to know about Duke (4-1, 0-0 ACC) before the matchup:

All-time series

Syracuse leads 14-7.

Last time they played

The Orange led by one goal early in the fourth quarter when Landon Clary threw his body into Brennan O’Neill from behind, simultaneously rolling the ball toward him.

“That hit was awesome, one of the best things I’ve seen all year,” Tucker Dordevic said.

Clary scooped it up and immediately sprinted down the center of the field, finding Dordevic wide open near the crease. Dordevic quickly pulled his stick behind his legs, sending a backwards, no-look, between-the-legs shot past Duke goalie Mike Adler.

“Because of practice and repetition, players are understanding when to take opportunities and when not to,” head coach Gary Gait said. “They are embracing the fact that they can make big plays.”

Dordevic’s goal kick started a three-goal run for SU, one that put the game away in a 14-10 upset win over then-No. 10 Duke. The Blue Devils fought back in the second half, but the Orange led the entire way, catalyzed by Dordevic’s five goals. It would be Syracuse’s last win of 2022.

The Blue Devils report

Duke finished last season third in the ACC, going .500 in conference play. Like SU, the Blue Devils failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. And their path has been similar to the Orange’s this year, comfortably defeating two nonconference opponents before losing by one goal to then-No. 17 Jacksonville.

The Blue Devils are third in the ACC in terms of scoring offense, averaging 15.80 goals per game, ranking seventh-best in the country. They’re scrappy, leading the conference in caused turnovers and ground balls, with 43 and 172, respectively. They’re also in the top-20 in almost every national statistic, sitting 14th in shot percentage with a 34.3% success rate.

Duke returned O’Neill, who leads the team with 28 points this season. Sophomore Andrew McAdorey and senior Dyson Williams are the only other players with more than 20 points this season. Williams’ 3.80 goals per game is ranked third best in the conference.

Arlo Stone | Digital Designer

How Syracuse beats Duke

Last year, in both games, SU fell behind early before coming back enough to keep it close until late in the second half. Against UNC, Syracuse kept it close despite giving up seven goals in the second quarter. But it couldn’t do enough defensively in the fourth quarter to stop the Tar Heels from sealing the game.

Duke is very talented offensively, so this game will again be determined by the solidity of the Orange’s defense. Will Mark made 17 saves, but the Tar Heels’ 19 goals are indicative of a defensive giving up too many open opportunities. If O’Neill, McAdorey or Williams are given enough space to roam through SU’s defense, this game will be a repeat of last weekend.

The Orange need more from their big three on offense. Jackson Birtwistle only scored once on six shots against North Carolina, and that simply can’t happen if SU wants to pull away early. Joey Spallina will also need to step up his play against another talented ACC defense. Spallina, Owen Hiltz and Birtwistle will make or break this game.

Stat to know: 59.7%

The Blue Devils lead the ACC with a 59.7% faceoff percentage. Their main faceoff specialist, Jake Naso, is 14th best in the country with a 62.8% win rate. He’s leading the nation in faceoffs won with 81, though he’s taken the most in the country.

Syracuse’s faceoff unit was inconsistent throughout last season, and despite replacing Jakob Phaup with Canisius transfer Johnny Richiusa, it hasn’t changed much. Richiusa focuses on winning the initial clamp, which will definitely be a tough task against Naso. Assistant coach Nick Acquaviva said the Orange are trying to get their wings more involved with the faceoffs, something that will be necessary once Richiusa starts struggling against Naso.

Player to watch: Brennan O’Neill, attack, No. 34

O’Neill hasn’t dropped off at all from last season, averaging 3.00 goals per game and 2.60 assists per game. He led the team with 53 goals and 21 assists in 2022 and he already has a team-high 15 goals and 13 assists this season. O’Neill will be the Orange’s main focus defensively, and they have a good chance at a second straight upset if they can stop him.

Published on March 1, 2023 at 10:05 pm

Contact Anish: [email protected] | @anish_vasu