Syracuse holds off Albany for victory

SYRACUSE — The top-ranked Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse team survived a second-half charge by No. 14 Albany to take an 18-13 nonconference victory in front of 3,112 Tuesday at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse (5-0 overall) is off to its best start since 2000, when it opened the season with seven consecutive victories. The Orange dominated almost from the start. Josh Amidon fed Jeremy Thompson just 16 seconds into the game to open the scoring.

Syracuse added three more first-quarter goals, including two from Tim Desko, and ended the first with a 4-1 lead.

It took a 9-3 lead at halftime thanks to five second-quarter goals from five different players.

Desko continued his stellar play early this season with four goals and an assist for Syracuse. He now has a team-leading 17 points on 15 goals and two assists.

Albany (3-2), led by Salmon River product Ty Thompson, generated six goals in the final quarter, including the game's final four tallies in a futile comeback. Thompson scored two of his three goals in the fourth.

Thompson's cousin Miles added a goal and an assist for the Great Danes.

Syracuse's Tommy Palaseck countered with two fourth-quarter goals of his own to put the Orange out of reach. He finished with four scores and one assist.

Orange goalie John Galloway played three quarters to secure the win. He allowed seven goals and made three saves.

Edmund Cathers was knocked out by Syracuse in the third quarter after surrendering 15 goals and making 11 saves for the Great Danes.