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The Daily OrangeMLAX | Behind the scenes: SU has a 7-game win streak with the help of 3 unheralded players
By Tyler Dunne, Andy McCullough and Kyle Austin
Posted: 4/10/08, 10:50 PM EST Section: Sports
He has scooped 46 groundballs, tied with senior faceoff specialist Danny Brennan for the team lead. Abbott and fellow wing Joel White team with Brennan on the Orange's elite faceoff unit.
"The game starts with the faceoff and he's gotten a bunch of groundballs on the wing on the faceoff," Desko said. "And if we aren't winning the faceoff, he's out there, and he's a good, solid player defensively."
-Andy McCullough, managing editor
Sid Smith
Junior defenseman
Sid Smith doesn't make the highlight tapes as a close defender. But for head coach John Desko, that means he's doing his job.
"It's the nature of the beast in a sport like lacrosse, especially at a Syracuse program known more for offense," Desko said. "Any time you see a highlight film, you're going to see more goals being scored than good stops and good saves."
The soft-spoken Smith, in his first season with Syracuse after transferring from Onondaga Community College and playing for the Iroquois Nationals, has been in the background of the SU defense, even though he's started all 10 games. Senior captain Evan Brady does the talking. John Galloway has drawn attention as the young hotshot goalie.
But Smith has quietly been the workhorse of a much-improved defensive unit. He leads all defenders in ground balls, leading to an 81.7 team clear percentage, up from last year. As Smith has harassed opposing attack as they charge the goal, the SU defense is allowing nearly 10 fewer shots per game than it did last year.
It's all kept Smith off the evening news, for all the right reasons.
-Kyle Austin, asst. sports editor
"The game starts with the faceoff and he's gotten a bunch of groundballs on the wing on the faceoff," Desko said. "And if we aren't winning the faceoff, he's out there, and he's a good, solid player defensively."
-Andy McCullough, managing editor
Sid Smith
Junior defenseman
Sid Smith doesn't make the highlight tapes as a close defender. But for head coach John Desko, that means he's doing his job.
"It's the nature of the beast in a sport like lacrosse, especially at a Syracuse program known more for offense," Desko said. "Any time you see a highlight film, you're going to see more goals being scored than good stops and good saves."
The soft-spoken Smith, in his first season with Syracuse after transferring from Onondaga Community College and playing for the Iroquois Nationals, has been in the background of the SU defense, even though he's started all 10 games. Senior captain Evan Brady does the talking. John Galloway has drawn attention as the young hotshot goalie.
But Smith has quietly been the workhorse of a much-improved defensive unit. He leads all defenders in ground balls, leading to an 81.7 team clear percentage, up from last year. As Smith has harassed opposing attack as they charge the goal, the SU defense is allowing nearly 10 fewer shots per game than it did last year.
It's all kept Smith off the evening news, for all the right reasons.
-Kyle Austin, asst. sports editor
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