Syracuse Takes Down Utah Behind Strong Defensive Stretch.

SAM CORCORAN: Syracuse’s defense started off a little sluggish against Utah. The Utes drew first blood and then kept the game close, trailing 5-3 with 3:55 remaining. But then for the next 34 minutes and 59 seconds… their offense was nowhere to be found. SU netted eight unanswered to pull away from Utah 18-7 after that. And a key piece of SU’s defense: Will Mark. The netminder saved 14 Utes shots, a season-high, and after the game, he said all he needed was a mental reset.

WILL MARK: I think we just have all the tools to be extremely successful. Sometimes it takes a little slap in the face to kind of get going. Lacrosse is a huge wave of peaks and valleys, and the best thing you can do is, you know, obviously, handle the peaks and also handle the valleys the same. I know we have such a talented team, such a talented defense, so in a situation like that, it’s a deep breath and we’re right back to it.

GARY GAIT: We really… defensively, you know, played well and kept them to the outside. We didn’t let the ball get inside, we picked up rebounds, we out-groundballed them and Will, you know, was getting outside shots and he was making the saves. So I think by limiting the quality of shot, he really helped,  and just playing good team defense, you know, we clicked there for two quarters.

CORCORAN: The performance from SU’s D keeps the orange in the top 10 nationwide in scoring defense. And five games in three weeks can be a lot on a team, but as you can see behind me, the field shifts to a court which means rest for SU. Up next to the ‘Cuse: a date with No. 7 Army next Wednesday in the Dome. That was slated for 6:00 p.m.