Beat writers unanimous on Syracuse-Albany matchup

No. 20 Syracuse (0-1) hosts No. 14 Albany on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The Orange, coming off a historic season-opening loss to Colgate, need a win over the Greyhounds to avoid the program’s first 0-2 start since 1974.

Here’s what our beat writer’s make of the matchup.

Nick Alvarez (0-1)
Fool me once
Albany 14, Syracuse 9

Syracuse’s loss last week was historic. That can’t be understated. But Saturday’s matchup will determine what Orange team we can expect to see for the rest of 2019. The team has preached a new culture, and Albany will test it. The Great Danes will be in their first game without Connor Fields (graduation) and TD Ierlan (transfer to Yale), yet Tehoka Nanticoke remains. The now-sophomore scored five goals the last time he was in the Carrier Dome and there’s nothing stopping him from doing it again. SU has a chance in this game if it can get a better start at the X. Last week proved that Syracuse doesn’t have the offensive firepower to out-score a team, and that was before midfielder Tucker Dordevic was ruled out for the season. The Orange have a shot. They’ll be in the Dome in as high-pressure of a week-two game as possible. But they won’t stop Nanticoke, and that’ll be the difference.

Andrew Graham (0-1)
Hounded
Albany 13, Syracuse 11

The last time Syracuse started 0-2, Gary Gait was 6 years old. That was 1974, when UMBC and Washington College buried Syracuse by a 39-15 combined score in the first two contests. That team went on to go 2-9. I don’t think the future is that bleak for SU’s 2019 team, but Saturday’s prospects are not bright. Albany dismantled the Orange 15-3 in the Carrier Dome last season and though the Great Danes are down Connor Fields and TD Ierlan, they bring dominant attack Tehoka Nanticoke back. Nanticoke cooked the Orange to the tune of five goals last season. SU, without Tucker Dordevic for the season, doesn’t have enough firepower to keep pace with Nanticoke and the rest of the Great Danes. It’s been 45 years, but for the first time since the Nixon administration, Syracuse will be 0-2 in lacrosse.

Michael McCleary (0-1)
Great Dane-ger
Albany 12, Syracuse 10

Well, I didn’t see that coming. None of us did. I really thought SU would be going into Saturday with a win. Albany was supposed to be their first real test. The Great Danes dominated the Orange last year, 15-3, but lost a lot of their biggest contributors. That includes Connor Fields, the top goal-scorer in Albany history and one of the best players in the nation a year ago. Though the loss to Colgate was not the best start to the season for SU, the Orange didn’t look bad and left the playing field still displaying some promise. But Albany’s Tehoka Nanticoke is fresh off an 80-point season as a No. 2 option in the Great Danes attack. Look for Albany to take this one, albeit in a close one.