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For his first career game, head coach Gary Gait thought Finn Thomson was “outstanding.”

Thomson scored, assisted and facilitated a “team offense” on Saturday in a very low-scoring affair against Vermont. He led all players with three points (one goal and two assists) and helped Syracuse (1-0) squeak out a 7-5 win over Vermont (0-1).

Though Joey Spallina recorded 15 shots for just one goal, which Gait described as a common performance for a “rookie,” Thomson brought rhythm to the offense, though Syracuse couldn’t convert on more of its 44 shot opportunities.

“It feels great,” Thomson said on his debut. “Just being out there is nothing I’ve ever experienced before. And getting a win is just even better. Onto next week now though.”

The first period was lackluster for the Orange offensively, being held scoreless, though Vermont could only generate one goal for itself in the quarter. In the second, Thomson notched two of his three points, allowing Syracuse to take a three-goal lead entering halftime.

Part of a stretch where Syracuse scored three goals in the first four minutes of the second quarter, Thomson added the last goal in that window of play. He possessed the ball on the left side about 10 yards away from goal. Faking left, he went back to the right and rifled a shot to the top shelf past Vermont goalie Matt Shaffer.

Later in the period, Thomson possessed the ball at the left wing. Alex Simmons began cutting toward the crease and Thomson dished a perfect behind-the-back pass that caught the Catamount defenders off guard. Simmons received the pass in stride before continuing toward goal and converting. It put Syracuse up 4-1 and would be the final goal of the first half.

The behind-the-back pass or shot style was a common theme Saturday afternoon, mostly used by Simmons or Thomson. In the fourth quarter, Thomson received the ball at the right wing. He faked like he was going to shoot, but passed the ball behind his back to a wide-open Jackson Birtwistle. Birtwistle, less than 10 yards away from goal, turned and shot, though Shaffer saved it.

“I think when we get actually clicking and moving the ball, it’s going to be pretty to watch,” Gait said on the offense’s creativity regarding behind the back passes and shots. “Today, we saw little flashes of it, but certainly in practice, we’ve seen a lot more of that stuff.”

On another play in that period, Thomson received a pass from Spallina. Since the momentum of his cutting run was narrowing his shooting angle, he shot the ball behind his back, but it went just over the bar. Thomson only took four shots on the afternoon and two hit the target.

“I think it starts from the back end up. It starts with Will (Mark),” Thomson said on the offense. “Obviously we could’ve done a better job finishing the ball today.”

Over a minute into the fourth, Thomson recorded his second assist. He started his dodge from the left wing, juking Stone Jacobs. Continuing his run toward goal, Thomson assisted Birtwistle, who was wide open by the crease, as Syracuse regained the lead. Owen Hiltz would add the seventh and final goal of the afternoon for the Orange.

Though not statistically credited, Thomson helped set up Spallina’s first career goal. Positioned at X, Spallina began to dodge toward the right from behind the goal. Thomson cut toward the crease and goal and screened a Catamount defender. This gave Spallina enough separation for his shot. Shaffer thought the shot went high, but it really went low on-goal as the nation’s best recruit emphatically celebrated his first career goal.

“He’s a very smart lacrosse player even though he is a freshman,” Gait said. “He gets the game. He knows the nuances.”

Thomson was one of six different scorers on Saturday and Gait emphasized that’s part of the offense’s design. He said that no opponent should solely focus on one player when scouting and that the offense doesn’t rely on one person, though Spallina did take the bulk of the shots.

Among the freshman class, Thomson was the first to score, though he didn’t really care postgame, instead saying that the Orange “do it together” and it “doesn’t matter at the end of the day.” Birtwistle said the younger roster has brought in a newer “energy.”

“He’ll build on (this performance) and only get better as we go,” Gait said.

Published on February 4, 2023 at 4:53 pm

Contact Cole: [email protected] | @ColeBambini