FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - In his first meeting with his 2009 team, John Desko's message to his squad was crystal clear.
"Everybody says you're going to defend your title, and I said, 'Guys, we're not defending anything,'" Desko said. "It's going to be on a pedestal shortly. You got your rings, put them in the drawer now and we're going to focus on the 2009 season."
Now, with the season down to its final weekend, Desko's message hasn't changed. And his team will try and reap the benefits.
Syracuse will try to win its second straight national championship for the first time in Desko's tenure, as the No. 2 Orange faces No. 3 Duke in the final four Saturday here at Gillette Stadium (noon, ESPN2). The winner will take on either Virginia or Cornell in the finals Monday.
"Now, we're focusing on the 2009 national championship, being in the final four," Desko said. "So we didn't want to feel like we're doing anything different. I think we're a much better team when we have goals that we want to climb the mountain, not to stay on top of it."
Desko won national titles in 2000, 2002, 2004 and last season. Following the three previous national championships, Syracuse (14-2) lost in the finals, final four and the first round, respectively. Saturday's contest against Duke (15-3) will be the fifth meeting between the two schools, and the first meeting since SU eliminated the Blue Devils in the 2002 tournament.
Though Desko's squads haven't been able to repeat, neither have other teams recently. The last team to win consecutive titles was Princeton from 1996-98. Since then, only two teams to win the national championship have even made it back to the title game - Syracuse in 2001 and Johns Hopkins in 2008.
Desko said this year's current group of players' mixture of success and failure over the past two years has helped this team. The squad missed the playoffs in 2007 after finishing 5-8 and followed up with a national title in 2008. That spectrum of emotions could be the difference.
"I keep going back to a couple years ago, we were 5-8 and didn't make it, and I think our group last year was really focused on getting back there and showing what they can do," Desko said. "I think the icing on the cake was a national championship and these guys have tasted blood and want to get back here and go for another one."
His players are on board. Senior attack Kenny Nims said it's great to be back this year and said that this trip has been identical to the one last year, so the team knows what to expect and is comfortable in its surroundings. Last season's final four was also played at Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL's New England Patriots.
Nims understands the challenge that lies ahead for the Orange. Every team in this quartet of contenders has beaten one and lost to one of the others. In the Orange's case, SU bested Cornell, but fell to top-seeded Virginia. Repeating as champions will be no easy feat - but Nims thinks he knows the key.
"I think it's tough (to repeat) because each year there's been a pretty great senior class that leads the team to the championship," Nims said. "And that was no different with us last year. So, I think it's all about the senior class and how well the other guys really adapt and feel comfortable here, too."
The biggest factor, though, may be in goal. Starting goalie John Galloway will return to the net this weekend after missing last weekend's game with flu-like symptoms. He has not played since Syracuse's opening victory in the tournament on March 10 against Siena, perhaps leaving him a little rusty for game action this weekend.
Last year, Galloway became just the fifth goalie ever to win a national title as a true freshman, but struggled throughout. He yielded an average of 10 goals per contest in SU's last three victories, but the SU offense picked him up averaging by 12 goals.
The struggles from last season provide extra motivation, and just winning the national title is something he can build from. Having that experience in the net puts him ahead of the other goalies in the field.
"Last year happened, but we're looking for a 2009 championship and to make some memories," Galloway said. "I think there are a couple memories I'd like to erase from last year, a couple tough games I had. I felt like I was seeing the ball for some games, and it didn't work out for the best of me, but we got the win, and so we're looking to get two more wins this season."
There are only two more chances for this SU squad to make a name for itself. The first chance presents itself Saturday, and then if SU wins, a national championship contest awaits.
The chance to make history is awaiting the Orange - and the team is ready.
" A lot of people have been talking about the fact that a team hasn't done it since Princeton in the 90's and it's almost impossible to do now with the parity in lacrosse," Galloway said. "It's something we want to prove wrong, and I think we're up for the task, and it starts on Saturday."
mrehalt@syr.edu
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