Hobart 4-0 After Stifling No. 20 Bucknell
from press release
GENEVA, N.Y.-The Hobart lacrosse team rode a
suffocating defensive effort and a late scoring surge to a 7-2
victory over 20th-ranked Bucknell at McCooey Field this afternoon.
The Bison's two tallies are the fewest by a Statesmen opponent
since Hobart topped Colgate 18-2 in 1992.
Bucknell (1-3) outshot the Statesmen 38-29, but the Hobart defense
harassed the Bison shooters all game, limiting the Herd to just 16
shots on goal. Junior goalie Max Silberlichtpicked up the win
with a season-high matching 14 saves, including nine before
halftime.
Junior attackman Kevin Curtin paced the Hobart attack
with his third career hat trick. Senior attackman Jeff
Colburn also had a three-point day on a goal and two assists,
while junior midfielder Mike Suits netted a pair of
goals.
In a defense dominated first half, junior midfielder Tyler
Cassell put the Statesmen up 1-0 midway through the first
quarter with his team-leading ninth goal of the year. Halfway
through the second quarter Suits doubled Hobart's advantage with
his third score of the season. Both tallies were set up by
Colburn.
After the intermission, the defenses continued to dominate. Neither
team found the back of the net through the first nine minutes of
play. Senior midfielder Doug Buckley broke up the shutout with 5:58
left in the third with a behind the back shot from the right edge
of the crease. He also drew an unnecessary roughness penalty
against Hobart that junior attackman Tim Brandau turned into his
fourth goal of the year to tie the game at 2-all with 5:27
remaining in the third. Bucknell was 1-of-5 with the extra-man,
while Hobart was 0-for-1.
In less than six minutes spanning the third and fourth quarter,
Curtin single-handedly broke the game open. He scored his fourth,
fifth, and sixth goals of the season in succession to put the
Statesmen in front 5-2 with 10:49 remaining.
Suits and Colburn added the afternoon's final scores in the last
three minutes of play as the Bison extended its defense.
Bucknell senior goalie Nick Sciubba (Salisbury School/Sea Cliff,
NY) played well, finishing the contest with 13 saves.
Hobart improves to 4-0 for the first time since starting the 2005
campaign with four straight wins. The Statesmen will open
conference play on March 14, when they host 12th-ranked Georgetown.
