Head coach John Desko on the Citrus TV set Tuesday afternoon.
Photo by: Heather Prusak
Orange Opens 2013 With Media Day
1/8/2013 4:51:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Video: Coach Desko News Conference | Player Interviews
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Syracuse men's lacrosse team kicked off the 2013 season by hosting its annual Media Day Tuesday in the Carrier Dome. The Orange began preparatioins for the upcoming season yesterday with its first first practice and held two more practice sessions today. In between, head coach John Desko and the SU student-athletes addressed the media for the first time this spring.
"I'm happy with this team's ability," Desko said. "I think we have some very good players and I see it every day in practice. We are athletic. We can dodge. We can shoot. We have certain players that play really well inside. Defensively, we have some good ability and we are more comfortable with our goalies this year."
Four members of the Orange have been tabbed preseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse, including senior defenseman Brian Megill who recorded 62 ground balls last season and set an SU single-season record with 37 caused turnovers. Senior midfielder JoJo Marasco and junior attackmen Derek Maltz and Nicky Galasso received honorable mention nods.
"We're going to come out and play Syracuse lacrosse," Megill said. "Basically, my big thing is to come out and give 110 percent every day in practice. It's my last semester, my last season of practices. I'm going to lay it all out on the line and hopefully push my teammates to get better."
The Orange was tabbed No. 14 in the 2013 Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook Preseason Top 20. Last year, Syracuse defeated Villanova and St. John's to win the inaugural BIG EAST Championship. Syracuse finished 9-8 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament, losing at Duke in the first round, 12-9.
"We came back in the fall and the junior and senior classes really took the younger guys under our wings," Maltz said. "We try to be leaders both on the field and off the field. We look at that preseason No. 14 ranking as motivation for us. We're really excited to be back. We've had a couple of practices and we're really excited to get going again."
Maltz, who led SU with 28 goals last year, and the rest of the attack unit should benefit from the addition of Galasso who comes to Syracuse after two years at North Carolina. The 2011 ACC Freshman of the Year, Galasso totaled 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) as a rookie for the Tar Heels before battling back from a foot injury that limited him last season.
"He's got good vision and he's a threat on the man-up," Desko said of Galasso. "Usually those guys can shoot. We know that he's been a good dodger so he can make things happen with the ball in his stick. He's a pretty well-rounded player in all facets of the game."
The Orange begins the 2013 campaign on Jan. 26 with a three-way scrimmage against Holy Cross and Hofstra at the Carrier Dome. It opens the regular season at home against Albany on Feb. 17. Season tickets are available now online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B) or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX. Single-game tickets go sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Syracuse men's lacrosse team kicked off the 2013 season by hosting its annual Media Day Tuesday in the Carrier Dome. The Orange began preparatioins for the upcoming season yesterday with its first first practice and held two more practice sessions today. In between, head coach John Desko and the SU student-athletes addressed the media for the first time this spring.
"I'm happy with this team's ability," Desko said. "I think we have some very good players and I see it every day in practice. We are athletic. We can dodge. We can shoot. We have certain players that play really well inside. Defensively, we have some good ability and we are more comfortable with our goalies this year."
Four members of the Orange have been tabbed preseason All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse, including senior defenseman Brian Megill who recorded 62 ground balls last season and set an SU single-season record with 37 caused turnovers. Senior midfielder JoJo Marasco and junior attackmen Derek Maltz and Nicky Galasso received honorable mention nods.
"We're going to come out and play Syracuse lacrosse," Megill said. "Basically, my big thing is to come out and give 110 percent every day in practice. It's my last semester, my last season of practices. I'm going to lay it all out on the line and hopefully push my teammates to get better."
The Orange was tabbed No. 14 in the 2013 Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook Preseason Top 20. Last year, Syracuse defeated Villanova and St. John's to win the inaugural BIG EAST Championship. Syracuse finished 9-8 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament, losing at Duke in the first round, 12-9.
"We came back in the fall and the junior and senior classes really took the younger guys under our wings," Maltz said. "We try to be leaders both on the field and off the field. We look at that preseason No. 14 ranking as motivation for us. We're really excited to be back. We've had a couple of practices and we're really excited to get going again."
Maltz, who led SU with 28 goals last year, and the rest of the attack unit should benefit from the addition of Galasso who comes to Syracuse after two years at North Carolina. The 2011 ACC Freshman of the Year, Galasso totaled 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) as a rookie for the Tar Heels before battling back from a foot injury that limited him last season.
"He's got good vision and he's a threat on the man-up," Desko said of Galasso. "Usually those guys can shoot. We know that he's been a good dodger so he can make things happen with the ball in his stick. He's a pretty well-rounded player in all facets of the game."
The Orange begins the 2013 campaign on Jan. 26 with a three-way scrimmage against Holy Cross and Hofstra at the Carrier Dome. It opens the regular season at home against Albany on Feb. 17. Season tickets are available now online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B) or by calling 1-888-DOMETIX. Single-game tickets go sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.
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