Dylan Donahue didn’t participate during Saturday’s Senior Day festivities even though it was his last regular season game in the Carrier Dome. He did that last year with his senior class.

But when the redshirt senior took the field against Colgate, he couldn’t have looked more like his former self. He scored four goals, just the second time this year he’s scored more than two. That was a feat he accomplished 10 times last year.

After a season-long transformation from Syracuse’s finisher on the crease to its feeder behind the net, Donahue returned to the player he was in years past. One that capitalizes on his own once his hands are free.

“You got to make the most of your opportunities,” Donahue said.

The No. 5 Orange (11-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) pushed Colgate (4-10, 2-6 Patriot) around en route to a dominant 18-3 win on Saturday in front of 2,094 fans in the Dome. While SU bullied the Raiders in every facet, Donahue’s presence in key plays was more consistent than anything. Syracuse went to its backups before the first quarter even ended, but Donahue, a top candidate for the Tewaaraton Award, lacrosse’s Heisman Trophy, kept himself relevant throughout nearly the entire game.

Entering Saturday, Donahue led the Orange with 30 assists and his 2.1 assists per game ranked 10th in the country. But scoring-wise, he was tied with three others for second most goals on SU with 24 after notching 50 a year ago.

Jessica Sheldon | Staff Photographer

Against the Raiders, he broke out of his scoring shell — 83 days since the last time he scored more than twice in a game.

“It makes us more dangerous if we’re not just giving the ball to one person all the time going to the goal,” Syracuse head coach John Desko said. “It’s all good this time of year. It makes it harder for opposing teams to focus on just one or two players.”

Four minutes into the second quarter, Colgate put its long-stick midfielder on Derek DeJoe and left more dynamic scoring threats Sergio Salcido and Nick Mariano with more favorable matchups of short-stick midfielders.

Salcido, who’s recorded an average of four points per game in the last five contests, dodged down the left alley. His speed forced the defense to move and created space for Donahue inside. Salcido slung the ball to him right in front of the crease and Donahue finished calmly.

In three career games against Colgate, Donahue’s scored 10 goals and dished two assists.

“He’s been a pain in our ass for three seasons,” Raiders head coach Mike Murphy said. “Great player. Great, great player.”

Even with the game out of hand, Donahue kept pouring on. He absorbed a check that drew a flag and then curled around the left side of the goal. He noticed his defender was overplaying him so he would have a good angle to get in front of the goal for a quality shot.

Not only did Donahue get there, but he drew another flag as he was pushed to the ground. But before the push affected Donahue, he slung the ball out of his stick and into the back of the net.

“I was just trying to be patient,” Donahue said.

Donahue spent his final season with Syracuse as the quarterback of a team with six scoring options on the field at all times. But on Saturday, he was the scoring option. Rather than passing to the player with the hot hand, he was the one who had it.

Published on May 7, 2016 at 5:49 pm

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds