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Besides a few jaw-dropping goals, nothing Earth-shattering has happened for Syracuse men’s lacrosse through its first four games. It dispatched its first three weaker opponents, per usual, before losing 11-7 to then-No. 6 Maryland last Saturday.

If SU has learned anything thus far, the Terrapins are a team it doesn’t want to face in May. But the Orange’s national title hopes remain alive. They house one of the best offenses in the country, led by attackman Joey Spallina’s NCAA-leading 25 points, while the numbers show their defense and goalie play are trending in the right direction, too.

Here are the advanced statistics that stick out for No. 6 Syracuse (3-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) nearly a third of the way through its 2025 regular season:

41.0% Adjusted Offensive Efficiency

Per analytics database Lacrosse Reference, SU ranks third in the nation with a 41.0% adjusted offensive efficiency rate. The metric, which reflects the number of goals the Orange have scored divided by their total number of possessions — not counting failed clears — underscores the potency of their attack.

Talent is the obvious reason behind Syracuse’s unabating offense. But are the Orange doing anything different compared to last season’s potent attack? Yes, and no.

They’ve adjusted through their midfielders. Finn Thomson switched from midfield to attack as a replacement for the now-graduated Christian Mulé and is pairing well alongside Spallina and Owen Hiltz, racking up eight goals through four games.

Additionally, Michael Leo and Luke Rhoa are getting more runs as downhill dodgers — something Syracuse lacked at times last season. With Jake Stevens gone and Sam English’s defensive responsibilities ramped up, Leo (seven goals, two assists) and Rhoa (nine goals) have diversified SU’s offense, expanding beyond relying solely on Spallina dishing from X.

Boasting a diverse set of scoring options, the second-best turnover rate in the country (11.25 giveaways per game) and John Mullen’s solid .595 faceoff win percentage, the Orange are the definition of efficient. Yet, they’ve faltered in slower-paced games.

Against Jacksonville, Vermont and then-No. 16 Towson, Syracuse posted adjusted offensive efficiencies of 52.0%, 33.1% and 47.6%, respectively. That Vermont total doesn’t account for the mostly garbage time second half. However, SU’s efficiency dipped to a lousy 25.8% against Maryland.

Rhoa’s 3.13 Individual Player Efficiency

Rhoa is having an impressive start to his junior campaign. His individual player efficiency rating sits at 3.13, per Lacrosse Reference, the seventh-best mark in the country.

The stat characterizes a player’s role within a team and how large their contributions are in comparison to the rest of the roster. Rhoa ranks 50 points higher than Spallina, who is 15th in the nation with a 2.63 individual efficiency. Rhoa’s nine goals are tied for the second-most on the Orange, along with Hiltz, as he’s displayed a noticeable jump from last season.

Rhoa’s ability to create offense by himself is what makes him so valuable. He’s as pure of a goal-scorer as it gets; Rhoa doesn’t have an assist, but not for a lack of field vision. He’s been dangerous in one-on-one matchups, using his blistering speed to create separation while having the option to pull the trigger with both his left or right side.

This was made clear by his four-goal outing against Towson. Rhoa may not offer a multi-layered package, but he’s only scratching the surface as an elite scorer.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

20.5% Adjusted Defensive Efficiency

In its second year under defensive coordinator John Odierna, SU’s back end is making significant strides. Syracuse’s 20.5% adjusted defensive efficiency ranks sixth in Division I, per Lacrosse Reference, and would be the Orange’s highest mark in the category since last season’s 25.8% scoring.

SU didn’t finish in the top 10 in defensive efficiency in each of the last 10 years. Odierna has his group in the right spot, however. Last year, the Orange were 12th in adjusted defensive efficiency — number of goals allowed divided by number of possessions. Now, they’re six spots better.

Junior long poles Billy Dwan and Riley Figueiras anchor Syracuse’s defense. Together, they’ve forced 12 turnovers, with Figueiras leading the team with seven, while each collecting seven ground balls. Dwan and Figueiras’ physical play complements RIT transfer long-stick midfielder Michael Grace, who has eight ground ball pickups and three forced turnovers.

Syracuse’s defensive prowess is further highlighted by the 128 shots opponents have taken at goalie Jimmy McCool, with only 72 finding the target, a testament to the Orange’s lockdown defense so far.

McCool in 80th Percentile

Will Mark was a rock in net for Syracuse the last two seasons. When Mark graduated, McCool was named the starter. The former five-star recruit didn’t have it easy versus Maryland, allowing 11 goals on 23 shots faced. But the junior has shown flashes of stardom in his first four starts.

McCool boasts a .621 save percentage this season, stalling 41-of-66 shots on goal. Per Lacrosse Reference, McCool is in the 80th percentile in save rate for goalies across the country.

While much of his production has come against lower-level opponents, McCool didn’t flinch across his first three starts. He tallied a scintillating .818 save rate in his debut versus Jacksonville, followed by a solid .688 clip against Vermont. He then posted a .563 save percentage in SU’s win over then-No. 16 Towson.

First-year starters often experience growing pains, but McCool has yet to have a truly bad performance. Even against then-No. 6 Maryland, he began the game 3-for-3 on saves to allow SU to get on the board first.

Spallina’s 0.16 Adjusted Turnover Percentage

Spallina’s off to a magnificent start to his junior season, registering 21 points across his first three contests. He was held to just two goals and no assists against Maryland, though he was one of the lone bright spots courtesy of a personal two-goal run to give SU a halftime lead.

The difference in his game this campaign is limiting turnovers. After posting an adjusted turnover percentage — the number of turnovers a player averages per touch — of 0.66 in 2024, he’s reduced that figure to an impressive 0.16 in 2025, ranking among the best in the nation, per Lacrosse Reference.

Syracuse’s offense revolves around Spallina’s distribution from X and through setting the attacker up for wraparound chances with screens. The ball is always in his hands, yet he’s coughed it up just twice in four games. For someone like Spallina, who finished last year with 88 points, to barely turn the ball over, it’ll likely force defenses to progressively throw more attention at him.

Published on February 20, 2025 at 12:57 am

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews