Spallina steals the show, leads No. 2 SU past Vermont
Spallina leads No. 2 SU past Vermont
Junior attack delivers a 10-point performance, but a slower second half left coach Gary Gait looking for more.
This college men’s lacrosse season has just started, and Joey Spallina is already making headlines.
It took only the second game of the season for the Long Island native to have a 10-point performance as No. 2 Syracuse grabbed the 13-5 win over Vermont Friday in the JMA Wireless Dome.
Spallina had one of the best performances of his career and remained very humble postgame, despite the praise he received from the home crowd fans and media.
“I don’t think I put the team on my back,” Spalina said postgame. “Last game, Micheal Leo was our guy. Today was a complete team effort, and we played the way that we were supposed to. It just so happened that my shots were falling, and I was able to find guys when they were off the ball.”
Spallina had a point — the Orange fired 48 shots, while the Catamounts managed only 28.
What people missed out on was the defensive effort displayed by SU. Throughout the game, the Orange forced 22 Vermont turnovers, with eight of them coming from the second period.
The first half was all about the Orange.
At halftime, it was a convincing 10-1 lead, and Spallina himself scored or assisted on eight of the ten goals scored in the first. UVM Goalie Jake Dandrea left the game due to injury just two minutes into the first; needless to say, SU took full advantage of the opportunity at hand.
The following 30 minutes were slower than expected. Syracuse only scored three goals in the second half, all coming in the third period. Vermont tallied two goals each period in the second half and outscored the Cuse in the final 30 minutes.
“It is early in the season,” SU head coach Gary Gait said postgame. “These guys will rest and get prepared, and rehydrate. As far as today goes, I don’t think it was stamina. I think it was more mental than anything, a lack of focus.”
A bigger challenge awaits the Orange on Monday, as No. 17 Towson pays a visit to the Dome. The match is a tough turnaround, but everything is tough this year for SU, given the team’s high expectations in the preseason.