No. 11 Syracuse hosted No. 5 Yale for a scrimmage on Sunday in what was a rematch of last year’s NCAA first round matchup. In SU’s final tune-up before opening the season on Feb. 10 against Binghamton, SU lost 8-5 in the three quarters of scrimmage time that came before both teams cycled in back-up players in the extended fourth quarter of play.

Here are three takeaways and additional notes from the scrimmage.

 

Freshmen shine on offense

During the first three quarters, while Syracuse head coach John Desko used his starters, the freshmen shined on offense. Of the five goals scored, two were by Tucker Dordevic and one by Brendan Curry. Nate Solomon was the only returning player to score.

“We’re doing a really good job,” Curry said. “Just each day get a little bit better, more confident, dodge with our head up, start moving the ball.”

After Dordevic scored his second goal, a Yale defender fell onto his leg. He got up and limped off the field under his own power and did not return. Desko said he’d be “surprised” if Dordevic did not practice Tuesday.

Dordevic started once again and figures to start come SU’s season opener against Binghamton. Curry is slated to play on the second midfield line.

“The freshmen stepped up against one of the best teams in the nation and that’s the kind of experience we need to get them,” Desko said.

 

Rest of the team struggles offensively

Aside from Dordevic and Curry, the Syracuse offense remained stagnant for the bulk of the outing. Junior attack Nate Solomon netted two goals in the first half, but SU simply couldn’t do much afterwards. Yale outshot the Orange 43-24 and of the eight Syracuse goals, four were scored by freshmen and defenders.

“We’re kind of settling for shots right now,” Solomon said. “We’re just going through the motions. We’re not really pushing the ball.”

One area where the offense particularly struggled was on man-up opportunities. Syracuse couldn’t muster a single goal with an advantage. During an opportunity in the third quarter, the man-up unit — Solomon, Matt Lane, Stephen Rehfuss, Bradley Voigt, Jamie Trimboli and Brendan Bomberry — lacked any aggression. The six passed the ball around the perimeter for the entirety of the advantage and settled for two well-covered shots that sailed far wide of the cage.

“We looked hesitant,” Desko said. “And I wasn’t real happy with the week before … We were too cautious. I was disappointed in the man-up.”

Last year SU’s man-up unit ranked fifth in the country. This Sunday, the Orange had to “roll up their sleeves and fight for everything,” Desko said.

 

Mellen shuts down Reeves

When Syracuse played Yale in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals last season, Yale All-American Ben Reeves scored four goals in the 11-10 SU victory. Sunday’s scrimmage was a different story.

Redshirt-sophomore defender Nick Mellen guarded Reeves for the duration of the scrimmage that both team’s starters played on Sunday. Mellen allowed Reeves little space to maneuver once Reeves gained possession. He rode Reeves’ hips and bodied the 6-foot-2 attack, prohibiting him from unleashing open shots or feeds.

“In the beginning of the game I was kind of sitting on my heels and letting him dictate where he wants to go,” Mellen said. “So, I kind of decided right when he gets the ball, get up on his hips, get on his grill, force him to his weaknesses.”

Reeves’ lone goal came at the end of the second half. The attack sized up Mellen deep in the corner behind the cage and darted up the hash marks past the goal-line extended. Once he was high enough up the field, the left hander launched a running shot past Syracuse goalkeeper Dom Madonna. The goal, Madonna said, was a product of him not communicating to Mellen how high up Reeves was beyond goal-line extended.

In one sequence in the third quarter, Reeves churned toward the top side of the offensive zone as Mellen trailed, battling through a pick. Mellen stuck his stick inside on Reeves hands and pushed him as he tried to spin the ball back to goal-line extended. The defensive pressure forced Reeves to send his pass directly into the stick of Syracuse freshman midfielder Dami Oladunmoye, jumpstarting a Syracuse possession.

Syracuse head coach John Desko said after the scrimmage that the Yale coaches were impressed with Mellen’s performance covering Reeves.

“Great experience for Nick,” Desko said. “Reeves is maybe one of the best, if not the best, attackmen in the country.  Nick got into him early and I thought he did a really good job.”

 

Additional notes

• Brett Kennedy replaced Marcus Cunningham as the third defender to start the second half. Nick DiPietro entered in the fourth.
• Brendan Bomberry and Dami Oladunmoye both returned to play after leaving previous scrimmages early with apparent injuries.
• Syracuse was perfect in man-down situations when Dom Madonna played.
• Starting sophomore faceoff specialist Danny Varello finished 6-of-12 on faceoffs, while senior Seth DeLisle went 7-of-10 from the faceoff X.

Published on February 4, 2018 at 5:35 pm

Contact Matt: mdliberm@syr.edu