It was the first time in exactly 364 days that there were fans present for the Syracuse men’s lacrosse game.
SU hosted first-time opponent Vermont in the Dome and narrowly won 17-13. The difference came from both upperclassmen and underclassmen. Redshirt fifth year Stephen Rehfuss and Freshmen Owen Hiltz combined for 13 points to lead the effort for Syracuse.
Rehfuss continued to be an anchor for the Cuse offense. The attackmen finished with two goals and six assists. Those assists moved Rehfuss into the top 10 Syracuse all-time assists list. The fifth-year credits those around him for his success.
“I think I’ve had the pleasure of playing with some great guys. I’ve played with guys like Brendan Bomberry and Bradley Voight in the past who have always finished shots,” said Rehfuss.
In addition to Rehfuss jumping into the top 10 of the all-time assist list, the redshirt fifth year’s tied his career-high in points with eight. The last time he accomplished this was back in last season’s opener in the win against Colgate.
Rehfuss wasn’t the only SU player to impress. Hiltz scored a team-leading four goals. That performance paired with the attackmen’s hattrick last week against Virginia gives the freshmen seven goals in the last two games. Head Coach John Desko explains what makes Hiltz so special.
“With him, it’s his quick release. The ball is not in his stick very long,” Desko said.
This is just the second start for the number two overall recruit and Hiltz is already using that “quick release” to make an immediate impact. The freshmen stacked five-point performances in back-to-back games and has taken over the starting position in the Orange attack.
The combination of Hiltz and Rehfuss served as the one-two punch the Orange needed to avoid the upset from the Catamounts. The two not only notched 13 points together, they also connected twice for goals.
Rehfuss and Hiltz facilitated and finished the offensive opportunities for Syracuse, which propelled SU over Vermont. The chemistry between these two stars will be tested in the Orange’s next contest against Stony Brook.
The Cuse welcome the Seawolves to the Dome on Friday, March 12 at 1 p.m. Tune into WAER 88.3 at 12:30 for Countdown to Faceoff.
Prior to that broadcast, we will have coverage from the ACC Tournament starting, at the earliest, Wednesday, March 10. Syracuse will know its opponent, day and time of play following this weekend’s remaining conference slate. Follow us @WAER Sports on Twitter for updates about our upcoming broadcasts.