For two seasons, Pete Coluccini was the goalie for the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team. No questions. Even last year, as his goals against average rose to 11.27 goals per game and the losses piled up, there were no changes.

This season won’t be as cut-and-dried.

By the time the junior had arrived at practice at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday, a crowd of reporters had already formed around his competition in net, John Galloway- the prize of the Orange’s freshman class.

So Coluccini did what he could: he dropped his gear and suited up to fight for his job.

‘I’ve been in a situation the last two years where I played (every game),’ Coluccini said. ‘Now all of a sudden your job is in jeopardy. And you want to go out there and play your best, do what’s best for you team and do what’s best for yourself.’

What’s best for the team might not be best for Coluccini. Earlier this week, Inside Lacrosse magazine gave Galloway the top spot on its list of 20 impact freshman in Division-I lacrosse. Then they suggested he would be the starter.

SU head coach John Desko has been less open about who his favorite is. He hoped to have the situation sorted out by Feb. 2, when the Orange scrimmage against Le Moyne and Hofstra at the Carrier Home. But Desko hasn’t tipped his hand.

‘We definitely want to go into the scrimmages with a plan because our defense needs to know how to react,’ Desko said last week. ‘As a coach, the one thing you want in your goalie play is consistency, so if you have consistency, you know how to play defense.’

Fixing the defense will be a priority for the Orange this season, as they hope to rebound from last year’s 5-8 season. They missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 25 years.

While the Orange floundered last year, Galloway soared. He racked up honors following his senior season at nearby West Genesee High School, including All-Central New York recognition and a spot on the U.S. All American Team

Now, before he’s received the burden of the starting spot, Galloway has the burden of expectation.

‘That stuff, it’s exciting to hear that people respect you from stuff that you worked so hard for in high school, but it doesn’t mean much right now,’ Galloway said. ‘It’s up to what the coaches say. If Inside Lacrosse was my coach, I’d be excited about it.’

Both Desko and Coluccini say the battle is friendly. He and Galloway have to communicate. It’s what goalies do.

‘It’s a competition . . . you can’t say it’s not,’ Coluccini said. ‘But you look at it from the perspective as a team; it’s about what’s best for the defense.’

But would winning a national title as a backup be worth it?

Coluccini laughed.

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Those are things you don’t like to think about. But a national title hopefully makes everything better.’

Brooks back after back surgery

Ask Steve Brooks about his back and he’ll smile. And why not? He says it feels great.

‘It feels good,’ the senior midfielder said. ‘It feels better than ever right now.’

Brooks had surgery in the offseason to repair a herniated disc in his back. He had three months off before returning to practice in January.

‘It was just a herniated disc, that’s all,’ Brooks said. ‘It just needed surgery on it cause it was too herniated, I guess.’

Injuries are nothing new to him – he redshirted two seasons ago after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Coming off the tear, he had 19 goals for the Orange last season.

Now he says he’s healthy and excited for his senior year.

‘You can’t let that stuff get to you, or else it brings you down,’ Brooks said. ‘I like to say ‘Pain is only weakness leaving the body.’ So whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. So that’s my motivation.’

Published on January 23, 2008 at 12:00 pm