Stephen Rehfuss caught a pass in his customary spot on the right wing just below the goal line. Using Jamie Trimboli as a screen, he cradled the ball up past the goal line and toward the middle of the restraining box with his head up the whole way during Syracuse’s game against Johns Hopkins last Saturday. Rehfuss’ looping pass found Chase Scanlan on the opposite wing, and Scanlan took a few steps toward the center of the offensive zone before leaning into his defender and shooting sidearm. 

The ball nestling into the nylon behind the Blue Jays’ goalie resulted in a familiar line on the stat sheet for No. 1 Syracuse (5-0): Scanlan, assisted by Rehfuss for the ninth time this season. It was also Rehfuss’ seventh assist of the day, which has earned him Atlantic Coast Conference offensive player of the week honors. Only three times has that assist milestone been reached by a Syracuse player since 2000 — Rehfuss holds two of those marks in the last five weeks.

Rehfuss became the third Syracuse player to win an ACC weekly honor after Scanlan won it on Feb. 11 for his seven goals on debut against Colgate and Drake Porter was recognized on Feb. 25 for a career-high 18 saves against Army. 

The redshirt senior attack is on pace to shatter his career-high points record for a season (48) in 2018. His 18 assists this year leads the team with no other player having more than five. He also has 20 points, which is tied for second on the team with Trimboli and trailing only Scanlan’s 23 points. 

Army held SU’s attack to zero points two weeks ago, and against Hobart, the Orange relied on 17 combined points from the first midfield line. But against Johns Hopkins this past Saturday, Syracuse’s attack again shone. 

Scanlan and Rehfuss combined for 13 points with Griffin Cook also adding an assist. Rehfuss also picked up four assists in the opening frame to help the Orange open up a 7-2 lead. The Blue Jays chose to put their short-stick midfielder on Rehfuss, and the attack punished that decision.