Syracuse head coach John Desko’s goal for his offense against a stingy Notre Dame defense was simple, at least in theory: reach double-digit goals.
That lofty goal was the blueprint to No. 9 Syracuse’s 10-6 win over the No. 6 Irish on Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome.
“Not too many teams have gotten to double figures on them,” Desko said.
The Irish came in as one of the best defensive teams in the ACC, allowing just 9.0 goals per game.
But the Orange raced out to a 3-0 lead with goals from Brendan Bomberry, Jamie Trimboli and Pat Carlin.
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Trimboli would later add a goal with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, tacking on SU’s 10th goal despite the Orange being outshot 33-27.
The win marked the 900th win in program history, which makes SU just the second team in NCAA Division I Lacrosse history to achieve that milestone. The Orange also clinched a share of the regular season ACC title.
“It was definitely a great win for us today,” Desko said.
SU obtained its goal through offensive diversity, with goals from seven different Orange. Nate Solomon, Trimboli and Bomberry each had a pair of goals.
Desko credited a patient SU offense to that accomplishment.
Solomon attributed his team’s success to watching film and recognizing how Notre Dame’s defenders slid to certain players. SU then dodged hard to create opportunities.
Syracuse’s defense also created opportunities for its offense, with the Orange holding Notre Dame scoreless on eight man-up opportunities.
“We also hoped we could hold them to under (ten),” Desko said. “I thought we played pretty well on both sides of the ball.”
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