‘I just felt really lost out there:’ Syracuse faceoff specialist drove to New Jersey to fix his game - syracuse.com

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Syracuse, N.Y. — Jakob Phaup texted assistant coach Lelan Rogers after last week’s game against Notre Dame, at a loss for what was going so wrong during faceoffs.

“Hey coach, I’m pretty lost right now.”

Phaup, Syracuse’s lead faceoff specialist, took a second-straight beating at the X in the loss to the Irish, leading to an overworked defense and handing extra possessions to some of the most gifted shot-makers in college lacrosse.

At his wits’ end, the senior from Souderton, Pennsylvania sought permission from his coach, then took the unusual step to drive more than three hours midweek to train with Jerry Ragonese in New Jersey ahead of Thursday’s 13-8 victory against Albany.

“I just felt really lost out there and wanted to find an answer just to see what was really going on with my technique and my mental state,” Phaup said after Thursday’s game.

“You could call it a little unusual. I texted Coach Rogers after the game and said, ‘Hey coach, I’m pretty lost right now.’ ”

The sudden trip paid off for Phaup, who won 9-of-15 faceoffs in the victory against the Great Danes. It’s the type of performance that will carry significant weight in the coming weeks against ACC foes North Carolina and Virginia before the rematch with Notre Dame.

Phaup’s rut started a couple weeks ago at Duke, when he was whistled for a pair of faceoff violations in the first half and struggled to match the speed of freshman Jake Naso.

Syracuse has turned to Danny Varello throughout the season to add a different look at the X, and last week the coaching staff pulled the redshirt off freshman Jake Savage to find a spark against the Irish.

Phaup said Varello has some of the best hands in the country: “When he catches on fire, there’s not many people in the country who can stop him.”

Savage, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound freshman, appears to be the faceoff man of the future for the Orange.

“Once he gets comfortable, he has unbelievable hand speed,” Phaup said. “He kicks my butt. The kid does it all.”

It has created a three-man counter to the opposition in one of the game’s most important areas, though Phaup is still expected to lead the group down the stretch and into the NCAA tournament.

He was the first man out there Thursday night and finished strong after Varello and Savage got their runs earlier in the game.

“I’ve been facing off for three years. I have a lot of experience. I think I have really quick hands,” Phaup said. “I do think I’m one of the top guys in the country, even though I’ve had some slumps. I feel like I’m good in counters. I have good hand speed.”

Contact Nate Mink anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-430-8253

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