It was the play Syracuse couldn’t run in last year’s season opener, finished by the scorer its offense lacked. Chase Scanlan lifted his stick in the air as his Colgate defender slid. Running in transition, Lucas Quinn swung a pass toward the left side of the cage and two steps of space appeared for Scanlan.

When the Orange’s newest addition bounced the ball past Colgate goalie Sean Collins, Syracuse had its first lead of the night. As the Orange’s cushion built over the ensuing 51 minutes, so many other goals were initiated from that same spot on the left side. A step on a Colgate defender, a swing of Scanlan’s right arm, a swish into the net. 

Scanlan’s seven goals marked the best individual offensive performance for Syracuse since Dylan Donahue in 2015. He silenced a Colgate run that cut Syracuse’s lead to two at one point. He scored back-to-back goals that extended it to seven. “It was a dream come true,” Scanlan said. 

In last year’s season-opening defeat to the Raiders, Syracuse’s offense was stifled by quick Colgate slides. Prolonged ball movement only compounded that. But on Friday afternoon — nearly one year to the day of that upset loss — Syracuse used a new offense and a new gem within it to build an early lead that withstood Colgate runs, lifting the Orange (1-0) to a 21-14 win over Colgate (0-2) on Friday afternoon.

“To have the number of goals that (Scanlan) had tonight, I’m not sure going forward if he’s going to be too much of a secret,” Syracuse head coach John Desko said.

When Scanlan joined the Orange last July, he was thrust in the middle of the soured taste that followed in the months after the 2019 Colgate loss. Friday night was a game stewing for nearly a year in the minds of Syracuse lacrosse players, one that only heightened when it became the season opener again. There were locker room talks. The highlights. The social media posts. Scanlan wasn’t a part of what created “revenge week,” but he was charged with stopping it.

He was one of three missing pieces from that loss — along with Tucker Dordevic and offensive coordinator Pat March — that were on Ernie Davis field for the initial face-off. And if season openers set tones, then this is a good one for Syracuse. 

The new-look offense under March excelled in the opening quarter, peppering 18 shots at Collins and finishing with 65. But it was Colgate that struck first, controlling possession for the entire first minute and capitalizing when Mike Hawkins found twine. SU found life four minutes later when Peter Dearth sprinted in transition off a broken play and scored, double fist-pumping afterward. 

Then Scanlan got going. Stephen Rehfuss scooped up a ground ball deep in the Colgate zone, and Scanlan faked a pass back across before finishing. One goal from No. 22 became two. Two became three, and soon he became more than just a Syracuse puzzle piece. Scanlan was the offense.

“We’re really focusing on some quick dodges and then ball movement,” Rehfuss said. “But also a lot of movement off ball, which is how a guy like (Scanlan’s) getting wide open.”

Chase Scanlan attempted a team-high 12 shots in his first game with Syracuse since transferring from Loyola. Will Fudge | Staff Photographer

Colgate had to adjust, head coach Matt Karweck said. Before halftime, Scanlan tried to dodge on Parker Baddley but found no opening. He circled behind the net, eventually needing to force a shot as a second defender engulfed the midfielder.

Syracuse had mitigated the slow start that loomed over the second half last year against the Raiders, but just 35 seconds into the third quarter it needed a run-stopper. Griffin Brown, Colgate’s best offensive weapon, scored one of his four goals despite close shadowing from Nick Mellen until Syracuse’s defender got hurt in the third quarter. His cuts across the middle repeatedly pierced an inexperienced close defense group, and a 3-0 spurt by the Raiders cut the deficit to two.

It came through Scanlan two minutes later. When Rehfuss cradled the ball behind the cage, multiple shooting steps again opened for Scanlan when his defender pulled to defend the alley. He sidearmed a shot, and shook his head as Syracuse’s lead extended again.

“I think that no one’s going to doubt why we gave (22) to him after a night like tonight,” Desko said.

From there, the type of offense Syracuse needed emerged — one with a focal point, one with a balance. Jamie Trimboli found success on quick dishes from Rehfuss (seven assists) in the alley, and Quinn scored a hat trick situated on the midfield’s second line, too.

A win over Colgate won’t guarantee Syracuse a spot in Philadelphia for Championship Weekend. That’ll take a precise navigation of the ACC gauntlet. But these are the games Syracuse needs to win, a start toward that final goal. As the clock ticked near six minutes in the third quarter, Griffin Cook and Rehfuss forced a Colgate turnover near midfield. Scanlan floated in the attack’s left side but inched toward the center.

Rehfuss floated a pass to Scanlan, and with just one defender to beat, the Loyola transfer finished. Just like he was supposed to.

Published on February 7, 2020 at 6:32 pm

Contact Andrew: arcrane@syr.edu | @CraneAndrew