Joe Breschi thought it was time for a reward.

His North Carolina men’s lacrosse team was more than two months into a season filled with pandemic protocols. It was coming off its first two losses of the season, an overtime setback at Duke followed by an 18-16 stumble at home against Virginia.

So what better time to show some appreciation than in the middle of an only-in-2021 road trip, a one-day, up-and-back to Syracuse?

The Tar Heels met for breakfast in Chapel Hill at 7 a.m., and nearly eight hours later, they were ready to play the Orange. But with Syracuse going through its Senior Day ceremonies, Breschi brought the Tar Heels off the field.

“Fifteen minutes before the game, they jog into the locker room and in there are the black uniforms and the place goes nuts,” Breschi said. “The guys were just through the moon. They don the black uniforms and the chrome helmets and they go out and play the best lacrosse they’ve ever played. All Carolina fans who love the Carolina blue probably don’t love me, but the kids do.”

They showed it with a complete 21-9 drubbing of the Orange, as North Carolina claimed its first victory over Syracuse in the Carrier Dome since the 1991 NCAA tournament semifinals. It scored the first five goals, led 9-1 in the second quarter and outplayed the Orange at both ends of the field — and in the middle of it, too.

For the Tar Heels (9-2, 2-2 ACC), who play host to Notre Dame on Sunday, it was a welcome bounce back for a team that’s looked close to unstoppable when at its best.

“It’s a veteran group. They get it. They understand it,” Breschi said. “But on occasion, they need to be reset. That reset button was pushed the Monday after we lost to Virginia and saying, ‘There’s talent in this room. We need to kind of reset ourselves and understand the importance of everybody doing their job to the best of their ability to give ourselves a chance to win games.’”

There’s a case to be made North Carolina has demonstrated a higher peak than anyone else in Division I. It mauled Denver 24-13 in its season opener, a game it led 21-6 after three quarters. It picked up one of the season’s most valuable road victories, a 16-13 triumph at Virginia on March 11 when it led 11-4 at halftime. Saturday’s pounding of Syracuse was maybe the most thorough showing of the year.

If anything was absent, it was consistency. Maybe the back-to-back losses added some urgency, though it’s understandable a team rolling along at 9-0 would feel a bit comfortable.

Then again, it’s hard to feel too much at ease when Breschi has scrapped the traditional plan of using a scout team against starters throughout practice and instead gone ones against ones. The assignments vary — no one is forced to defend attackman and Tewaaraton candidate Chris Gray every day — and Breschi believes there’s a payoff for both units.

“I want that so it makes our defense better,” Breschi said. “By seeing that, you have to make time for that offense against our defense every day because it makes our defense play faster and makes our defense understand, ‘This is what you’re going against when you play Notre Dame, Virginia, Syracuse, Duke, etc.’ The speed of play is just at another level.”

There is encouragement on offense, too. As good as Gray’s been — with 37 goals and 31 assists, he’s the only 30-30 player in Division I — there are three other Tar Heels with 30 points (Nicky Solomon, William Perry and Tanner Cook) and nine players on the roster with at least 10 goals.

And Carolina goes even deeper than that. Grad transfer Connor McCarthy scored three goals at Syracuse, and freshman Cole Herbert scored his first two goals Saturday. The likes of Lance Tillman and Henry Schertzinger are earning expanded roles.

“I think they’re starting to understand, ‘If I play my best, and Chris plays his best and Jacob Kelly plays his best, and that first midfield of fifth-year seniors plays their best — it is tough to defend,’” Breschi said. “That’s what we need at the defensive end, too. I think it’s a work in progress, and as the temperature gets warmer, we’re starting to realize the potential that’s in the room.”