EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Pick a spot, John Galloway says.

Shoot high. Shoot low. Shoot anywhere. Will Galloway stop it?

He doesn’t know.

‘Obviously, I have a lot of weaknesses after this game,’ Galloway said following a vexing, seven-save performance in Syracuse’s 12-8 loss to Princeton at the Big City Classic. Galloway sat in a makeshift Giants Stadium press room for 10 minutes, mostly staring downward and biting his bottom lip. He answered questions about his flaws when prompted.

‘You can pick any one you want,’ Galloway said. ‘Write it down. I don’t really care. I need to work on a lot of things.’

Self-flagellation from a goalie at a crossroads.

Welcome to the latest chapter of ‘The Sorrows of Young Gallo,’ the real-life melodrama of John Galloway’s very public maturation. It’s a complicated story: A sensitive young man fulfills his lacrosse fantasies as a freshman, yet he remains unsatisfied and unhappy with his own play.

Chapter One: Our protagonist, who grew up practically on the Carrier Dome’s doorstep, arrives on campus as a rosy-cheeked, highly touted prospect on a team emerging from turmoil. He offers some shy smiles and ‘Aw, shucks’ comments to the press before inciting a white-hot position battle with the incumbent goalie (Pete Coluccini).

Chapter Two: Our hero unseats the incumbent during preseason practice, unleashing outlet passes which can zip like darts or soar in majestic parabolas. He misses a few saves, sure, but that’s no crisis. ‘It’s a dream come true,’ Galloway said then.

And so on and so forth, continuing through last season’s tribulations (poor outings against Cornell and Rutgers) and his ultimate triumph at the Final Four in Foxborough, Mass. The Orange won a national title – not in spite of its goalie, but not because of him either. The ride was bumpy. The ending was sweet.

A spotlight shines on his solitary position. When Galloway plays well, he beams and deflects praise. When he struggles, he sulks and looks like a glum 20-year-old with dirt caked on his face. Which, of course, he is. And what should we expect? He played at West Genesee High in Camillus, a regional superpower that’s won more than a dozen New York state lacrosse titles. He won a national title as a freshman. How do you top that?

Which leads us to this year. As a sophomore, Galloway hoped to anchor a defense that graduated two captains. He dreamed of consistency.

No dice.

His plot twists and turns. For a second season, Galloway’s play varies from game to game. It varies from quarter to quarter. Will he stand on his head? Will he fall on his face? No one knows.

His save numbers yo-yo. He stopped 19 shots against Georgetown. He stopped five against Johns Hopkins.

‘I just need to stop the ball,’ Galloway said. ‘I don’t care where the ball goes. I need to stop it.’

So pick a spot. Shoot the ball at him. Help him right this ship.

Or sail off a cliff.

Galloway gives up 8.25 goals a game. He saves about 54 percent of the shots he faces. Both statistics place him in the middle of the national pack. His clearing (the team ratio is 86.3 percent) remains excellent. Galloway can ignite transition like few in the college game.

That dichotomy – great starter, mediocre stopper – is his central struggle. But against Princeton, only the stopping was on display.

Chapter 25: At the Big City Classic, our protagonist excoriates himself for a dismal performance in an ugly loss. Galloway laments that his game is riddled with holes. He pledges to improve his game, but he continues to search for answers. The Syracuse season may hinge on his revival.

On Saturday, the bustling winds here ate up his voice and wrecked defensive communication. Halftime adjustments proved futile. The Orange defense broke down and allowed open shots. Galloway could not stop them all.

Syracuse will soon learn if Saturday was just an aberration. The team hosts No. 4 Cornell on Tuesday. ‘We have a short period before we come to Cornell,’ Galloway said. ‘And they have a lot of good shooters, too.’

After Saturday’s press conference, Galloway and Syracuse head coach John Desko walked out together. Desko – a West Genny graduate, like Galloway – still supports his underclassman goaltender (‘I thought John did a good job,’ Desko said).

The coach tossed an arm around his goalie as they walked to Syracuse’s green-carpeted locker room. Desko patted Galloway’s shoulder. Three times, forgiving but firm.

You can dwell on this game. Or you can move on. Do what you feel.

Another chapter starts Tuesday.

Andy McCullough is the enterprise editor at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear occasionally. You can reach him at ramccull@syr.edu.

Published on April 5, 2009 at 12:00 pm