Undefeated seasons in Division I lacrosse are rare, but they are possible. The last team to run the table was Virginia in 2006. The year before that Johns Hopkins didn’t lose a game. The last time Syracuse went undefeated was back in 1990.
It’s still early in the season, but starting at 5-0 is an accomplishment within itself for SU. Syracuse has won its first five games just twice since 2000.
The Orange has played three top 11 teams thus far and really hasn’t looked like losing. Syracuse blew out both #10 Cornell and #5 Virginia, 14-6 and 15-9 respectively. The Army game was tight, but the Black Knights could only cut Syracuse’s lead to two in crunch time. The only real scare for SU so far this year was when the team was down 4-2 at halftime against St. Johns last weekend. Syracuse finished that game on a 12-2 run eliminating any chance of an upset.
SU’s first five games were tough, but the next five are even tougher and probably the reason why the team won’t go undefeated. In the coming weeks the Orange faces off against #17 Johns Hopkins, #5 Duke, #4 Notre Dame on the road, #11 Albany and then #2 North Carolina on the road. Yikes.
The odds are definitely against Syracuse to win these next five games (never mind to not lose a game the whole season), but unlike in years past this team does not have a major weak spot, which means there’s a chance.
The attack speaks for itself with Kevin Rice, Dylan Donahue and Randy Staats. Nicky Galasso, Henry Schoonmaker and Hakeem Lecky are producing from the midfield as well. Defensively, the trio of Brandon Mullins, Sean Young and Jay McDermott are yet to allow a team to score double digit goals against them (goalie Bobby Wardwell also deserves credit for this). Finally, at the X Ben Williams has played way above expectations so far; he leads Division I in faceoff winning percentage at 71%.
Coach John Desko has assembled a dominant team this season, one that has a chance at perfection.
Posted: Connor Morrissette
