Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Expectations are high for Syracuse in 2025. The highest they’ve been for quite some time. The collection of talent — highlighted by a once-youthful, but now experienced 2022 recruiting class — isn’t something to gloss over. In three years under head coach Gary Gait, the Orange have gotten better each year, including an NCAA Quarterfinal appearance in 2024, their first since 2017.

The question heading into 2025: Could they improve again?

Gait could care less about that question. To him, the Orange haven’t beaten anyone, or won anything, so there’s no reason to feel overconfident.

If Saturday was a preview of what’s to come, then No. 2 Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) has every right to be confident in 2025. The Orange blew past Jacksonville (0-1, 0-0 Atlantic Sun) 24-5 in a game that was never close. It wasn’t a statement win, yet the result is flashy. Though with Syracuse’s aspirations in 2025, it was a simple job well done. It did what it was supposed to do: breeze past an inferior team with ease. The victory was the most lopsided Syracuse has had since a 28-3 win over Holy Cross in 2022.

“They went out today, and they executed as a team, and I thought they put a strong mental performance together and really made some plays on the field,” Gait said.

It was pretty clear from the start the Orange were going to spoil JU head coach John Gallloway’s homecoming. Galloway — one of the best goalies in SU’s history — came in looking for an upset, but what he got was a 10-0 deficit after a quarter-and-a-half.

The scoring got started with an acrobatic Luke Rhoa goal. Rhoa was knocked off balance after getting by his defender and fired the ball goalwards with just his left arm to beat Ryan Della Rocco. The Orange added two more in similar fashion, both coming unassisted.

Hiltz (two goals, two assists) curled around from X and fired home to the far post. Fifty seconds later, Leo accelerated down the middle of the field. Leo’s quick movements got him free and easily dispatched Syracuse’s third goal in less than five minutes.

The onslaught continued with Syracuse adding seven more unanswered goals. Leading 6-0 after the first quarter, Trey Deere added the first of the second, before Michael Leo scored three in a row, part of a career-high four goal performance. The junior helped put Syracuse up 13-2 at halftime, pretty much putting the game to bed by the break.

SU’s precision shooting made Della Rocco — the reigning A-SUN Defensive Player of the Year — largely a non-factor. Della Rocco finished with his second-worst save percentage (29.6%) since becoming a starter last season, while allowing the most goals (19).

As much shine as the offensive gets, Gait highlighted his defense postgame, a group headed by captain Billy Dwan, Riley Figueiras and RIT transfer Michael Grace. Gait revealed postgame defensive coordinator John Odierna told him he felt way more comfortable than this time last year with the defense. Ahead of SU’s 2024 season-opener, Gait joked Odierna was just hoping the team remembered the defensive principles he instilled. This year is a completely different situation.

The Orange entirely shut down Jacksonville’s attack, which was top 10 in goals scored per game last season (14.33). Jackson Intrieri, JU’s second-leading scorer from last season, was held without a point while the Dolphins had eight more turnovers (21) than shots on goal (13) and went 12-of-22 clearing the ball.

“They delivered on what (Odierna) wanted them to do, and they delivered with effort and lacrosse IQ,” Gait said of the defense. “They made a lot of great plays. And it was fun to watch.”

Jacksonville’s carelessness with the ball and other various miscues are not a recipe for success against an offense as potent as Syracuse’s. Galloway knows that, and Syracuse punished the Dolphins constantly.

“Syracuse exposes those mistakes, that’s what they do at a consistent level. That’s what they’ve always done,” Galloway said. “But with this particular unit, they just don’t drop the ball, they’re calm, they’re poised, and they take advantage of any of your deficiencies.”

Even in the third quarter when the game was already likely over, Syracuse kept its foot on the gas. Leading 14-2, SU put together its prettiest passage of play on Saturday. During a man-up chance, Finn Thomson whipped a behind-the-back pass to Deere, who sat in the middle of the defense. The sophomore quickly flipped to Joey Spallina on the wing. Spallina (three goals, two assists) roofed his shot to finish a slick move.

Spallina’s tally was part of a 10-0 third quarter for Syracuse as it led 21-2 heading into the fourth. By the time the final 15 minutes rolled around, Syracuse emptied its bench, signalling the end of a successful start to 2025.

The victory was in similar fashion to how Syracuse dominated weaker opposition last season. Against unranked nonconference opposition in 2024, SU’s margin of victory was 9.5. Saturday was a continuation of that and more.

JU wasn’t supposed to be some cupcake opponent. The Dolphins returned a core of their team which made the A-SUN conference championship in 2024 and were picked third in the conference’s preseason poll. Yet the Orange made the Dolphins look like a junior varsity team.

The win didn’t change much for Gait on how he feels about his team. Like every coach, he likes to evaluate things on a game-by-game basis. The Orange took care of business and won their season-opener by 19 goals. But that doesn’t mean Gait or Syracuse are satisfied with the outcome.

“We try not to work on expectations, more on preparation and focus on what we need to do to have success,” Gait said.

Published on February 1, 2025 at 2:22 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22