Denver Gameday...

[UrbanaOrange]

This is the way good CEOs manage, and they provide input when needed.

100%. We will have a hard time attracting quality assistants if the HC micro manages.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Yep. It helps to have an alpha. We don’t. Schnellenbeger today took the ball in OT and said I’m going to the rack and scoring and he did. The hard dodge down the right alley and roll back lefty finish was sweet. We don’t have a guy who can do that.

We don't and that is absolutely the missing piece

 

[UrbanaOrange]

Yep. It helps to have an alpha. We don’t. Schnellenbeger today took the ball in OT and said I’m going to the rack and scoring and he did. The hard dodge down the right alley and roll back lefty finish was sweet. We don’t have a guy who can do that.

I love Leo though. I think he’s our best attackman and English our best kid.

Yup. Shelly was money today. Leo is this team's alpha. Anderson seems to have that quality as well, but who knows if it will translate.

 

[PhatOrange]

Yup. Shelly was money today. Leo is this team's alpha. Anderson seems to have that quality as well, but who knows if it will translate.

He is and as a soph I’m really counting on him to make a leap next season. Shame on this staff taking so long to insert him down there. I know I was calling for it the first quarter of the season.

 

[tbonezone]

joey's a good player but seriously teams have figured out he's no threat behind the net and leave him alone. i'd rather see him in front off the cage and someone quicker and shiftier feeding from behind the cage or curling GLE and making the D pay for not poling them. also hiltz the last few games has been more dangerous moving to his left instead of anchored like a channel buoy on the right . and imo we need a middie cannon outside to really bring the heat (like say the old #77 the schooner) on man up . really hoped this group could break the F4 drought . talent and experience in goal ,close d , midfield and attack.
i've lost track. is the drought as long as the streak now ? twenty something years ?

 

[JeremyCuse]

He is and as a soph I’m really counting on him to make a leap next season. Shame on this staff taking so long to insert him down there. I know I was calling for it the first quarter of the season.

You and me and a quarter of the board. No idea why it took so long and even then they only did it sparingly.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

Is #22 a curse? Should we wait to give it to a senior that is picked by the team. I love the tradition and yet I wonder if it puts too much pressure on a player to get it as a freshman.

 

[BomberOrange]

Is #22 a curse? Should we wait to give it to a senior that is picked by the team. I love the tradition and yet I wonder if it puts too much pressure on a player to get it as a freshman.

Never was too much pressure previously.

 

[Powellfan]

Frustrating day for sure. Denver clearly had a game plan and stuck to it, and took advantage of a Syracuse team that didn’t make adjustments. I didn’t see this game playing out this way. I thought Denver might win, but I thought it would come down to a huge faceoff discrepancy, or Will Mark still struggling. I never would have guessed our offense would no show. Just off the whole game with dropped passes, dangling sticks, shots that were good looks but that went no where near the goal. To be held to 8 goals with the goalie only making 10 saves is an offensive issue to me.

Before the year started I think I said the expectation for me was to make it to the quarterfinals. They did and I’m happy. That said it’s going to sting that the team had every opportunity to win this game and just couldn’t put it together. This team will have huge expectations next year and a ton of talent. But they have some glaring holes that need to be addressed. This is a big offseason for the coaching staff.

 

[cuselaxss26]

gotta put blame on coaches a bit. As denver all year and even this game they pack in and give you the outside shots. Yet we didn’t attempt to take those shots. Stevens got one on a simple sweep/ pick up top. Leo had least two goals sweeping up top also. But we still tried to get inside. I’ve said it many times have to be able to land some range shots force d to push out which then opens middle up for you. Rhoa thought had 1-2 chances to rip it from outside but didnt. We also didn’t move joey around much at all either. Have him move all over the place top middle so his d guy is part of slide. Turnovers again killed us first time gbs killed us and just poor shooting.

 

[Powellfan]

 

[cuselaxss26]

Kol over playing going out on a man when again shot clock low to be toe dragged for goal. Was no reason to hedge all way out to that guy as was just bout gle so no angle for shot and again shot clock was low. I’ve had feeling as gaits mention it many times is coaches prepare them but ultimately let players play. Which is all good and all but in big games have to least guide them little more then let them just play totally free to point if makes sense what trying to say. Think why gait never takes blame himself as he feels he can only tell the guys what to do but they have to do it. Which yes true but also have to let them know when not to do something or stop doing something as said guide them during game. Refs def missed more than handful of calls yet second game seem they called everything. Just didn’t show heart or hustle all game yes last qtr fought hard but have to play hard all game in may or won’t make it.

 

[cuselaxss26]

Joey isn’t mike powell or a dodger who will take over came himself. But the kid is a hell of player and smart. He just needs to be little smarter or bulk up little more to power dodge in way. Don’t think 22 is curse kid had everyone expecting him to be this game breaker player. He is big reason why we got where we did he needs to work on his shooting/ outside shot, and feeding when on tight with defender all over him since isn’t gonna beat him with speed. Also wish he throw more fakes while guy on him as think they would bite. Team was known for ball movement but don’t feel they moved it fast enough at times today. Kinda just move it to one to guys dodge pass it back n repeat. Not many skip passes as normal. Just offense totally out of sync today. Mark also let some weak goals and poor angles in. The lambert (looked like was just barely in stick when hit zero) but he gets beat five hole wasn’t hard shot cause he didn’t drop straight down with head of stick. Over proud of guys good season not great pissed gonna have to wait whole dam year for them as this is my nfl only team i faithfully follow.

 

[cuselaxss26]

ment overall proud of this team was good season.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Thanks NCAA. Can't hear the questions.

 

[4evaOrange]

Was hoping for good news when I woke tonight. That didn’t happen.

 

[Laxfanshutt]

Denver vs Syracuse | 2024 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament | Quarterfinal Highlights

In case anyone want to see the highlights

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Denver vs Syracuse | 2024 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament | Quarterfinal Highlights

In case anyone want to see the highlights

Why do the "5's" on Denver's uniforms look like upside-down "2's"?

 

[Laxfanshutt]

Why do the "5's" on Denver's uniforms look like upside-down "2's"?

They do.. lmao

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[tbonezone]

Why do the "5's" on Denver's uniforms look like upside-down "2's"?

the B side . if 2 was 5 ...

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[CuseAlum87]

Why do the "5's" on Denver's uniforms look like upside-down "2's"?

to save money?

 

[orangecuse]

Agree with most of the presser. No doubt, as Gary stated, had both of those reviewed goals been called non goals on the field, there clearly wasn't enough evidence to overturn them, it was that close. And, the two goals Denver scored at the very end of those expiring possessions were huge for them, not to mention all of our near misses, pipe hits, etc. It's obviously a different outcome if we get, let's just say, all those moments breaking in our favor.

That said, I do think Denver being up 10-5 at the end of 3, and taking their foot of the gas from an offensive standpoint, basically playing not to lose, contributed immensely to our 3-0 tally in the fourth and the close calls Denver was fortunate getting away with as much as anything. Quint felt this was a huge mistake during the broadcast, and that it would take 11 or 12 goals to win, and very well may have been the case if those significant opportunities we simply missed play out differently. Had Denver lost, at least from their perspective, that 1st year coach undoubtedly would've been facing a lot of heat.

At half time, I recall Quint saying how Denver's 3Q has been by far their best all season and where they've heavily outscored their opponents. I'm sure we (our coaches) had to be aware of this and have our guys prepared/ready to match this expected 3Q intensity, etc. Denver would bring. Unfortunately, as it played out, this wasn't the case with them winning the Q 6-2, affording Denver all of that separation needed to feel they could basically coast in the 4th. I found that to be very disappointing, not to mention maddening.

 

[FloridaCuse]

Excellent article by Emily. Some excerpts pointing to the future:

Michael Leo sat at Gary Gait’s right hand at the microphone postgame, a white towel draped over his head like a mourning veil.

Despite a season-ending loss and usually being a man of fewer words, Leo was quick to answer after Gait’s opening comments when asked what this season signified about the outlook for next year’s team.

He spoke firmly, passionately, about how he and his classmates — now rising juniors for Syracuse men’s lacrosse — would step up in their leadership next year. How it would add a new dimension to the roles they already play on the team thanks to their talent.

Leo’s delivery, coupled with the fact he’d been the leading scorer of the day for both teams, sold the message.

“I promise you we’re gonna be in this exact same spot but on the winning side of it,” Leo said.


On Gait’s other side postgame sat Billy Dwan, his thick eye black smeared from either sweat or an emotional locker room. His red-rimmed eyes seemed to indicate the latter.

Dwan, similar to Leo, stepped into an elevated role this year that will only increase moving forward. He showed his skill as a defenseman who can also be a scoring threat, netting eight goals.

As they exited the press room after being dismissed from media, Leo and Dwan fist bumped and then wrapped an arm around each other’s shoulders.

The Orange’s core of talent, including that pair, are now entering their third season of college lacrosse. When this time comes next year, there will be no talk of first-time postseason appearances, no heightened jitters beyond the ones typical in postseason play.

Leo, Dwan, Joey Spallina, Finn Thomson, Luke Rhoa — so many of the faces that have already been so instrumental in creating what success Syracuse has had the past two years will become the names referentially mentioned by commentators in games SU isn’t even playing in, the ones dominating the All-ACC and All-American lists they’ve been beaten out of so far in their careers.

“I think the biggest jump is the freshman we had last year that were playing had a lot more confidence this year and I think that’s a big thing in lacrosse is confidence, especially with me,” Leo said. “Next year we’re just gonna play how we play and we’re gonna be on top next year for sure.”


The promise of the future doesn’t relieve all the sting of Sunday closing the 2024 season, though.

Dwan started to list through the veteran players he learned from this season only to stop himself and realize he’d have to name them all. He acknowledged how even the smallest insights they shared often made him not just a better player, but a better person, too.

“You really do win with people and I’m just so grateful to be a part of this program,” Dwan said.


. . . the heart of this team is hungry to win a title and restore Syracuse to glory.

The Orange got a taste of the postseason pie. It’s over the hump of being a program trying to revitalize itself, bring itself back into serious national conversation.

Now it wants to lick its lips clean on Memorial Day, trophy hoisted high once again.