No. 2 Syracuse Rolls Over No. 17 Hobart
from press release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a game that featured
the nation’s highest-scoring offense and the country’s
stingiest defense, Syracuse’s potent attack prevailed as the
second-ranked Orange (6-1) defeated No. 17 Hobart, 13-4, on
Tuesday, March 24 at the Carrier Dome.
The Orange retained the Kraus-Simmons Trophy, which has been
awarded to the Syracuse-Hobart winner every year since 1986, for
the third year in a row. It marked the 22nd time in the 24 seasons
since the trophy has been presented that the Orange defeated its
Central New York rival.
Hobart entered the game with a 5.33 goals-against average, but the
Orange’s balanced attack was too much for the Statesmen.
Syracuse’s 13 goals Tuesday were just two less than the
combined total (15) of Hobart’s last three opponents –
Bucknell, Georgetown and Rutgers – and the Orange put up nine
goals in the first-half, one more than the Statesmen allowed in any
of its first six games.
Senior attackman Kenny Nims led the way for Syracuse with six
points (2g, 4a). Sophomore attackman Stephen Keogh finished with
four goals, one short of his career high, and senior midfielder Pat
Perritt tallied a career-best four points, including tying his
personal best for the second consecutive game with two assists.
It looked like it would be a close contest at the outset as the
Statesmen’s defense was as good as advertised for the most of
the first quarter. Hobart held the Orange scoreless until the 3:14
mark of the opening period when Nims found senior Greg Niewieroski
for the game’s first goal.
Niewieroski’s score energized the Orange and Syracuse ripped
off three more goals in the span of 3:05 as part of an overall 9-0
run to take control of the game. Nims and senior midfielder Dan
Hardy each had a goal and two assists in the scoring spree which
featured eight different goal scorers. The only player with more
than one goal in the run was Keogh, who scored with 9:26 left in
the opening half and again with 5:47 left before intermission.
While the Orange blitzed Hobart offensively, the Syracuse defense
continued its dominating play. Saturday against Binghamton, the
Orange held the Bearcats without a goal for the final 28:33 and did
not surrender a goal to the Statesmen until Tyler Cassell found the
cage with 1:24 left in the second quarter – a span of more
than 57 minutes.
Hobart’s Jeff Colburn tacked on a pair of goals in the third
quarter to cut the Orange to six, 9-3, but SU responded with a
four-goal run that featured two more Keogh scores to eliminate any
hope of a Statesmen rally.
The Orange outshot Hobart, 49-26, for the game and owned a 25-10
margin in shots in the first half. Syracuse also continued its
success with the extra man, converting on three of its four man-up
chances Tuesday to boost its Division I-leading extra-man
efficiency rate to .667 (14-21).
Colburn’s two goals led the Statesmen. Hobart goalie Max
Siberlicht played the entire game and finished with 15 saves.
SU sophomore goaltender John Galloway allowed just three goals in
52:18 of action. He made eight saves. Junior Al Cavalieri played
the final 7:42 and stopped one shot.
The Orange will play its third game in the span of seven days when
it travels to No. 15 Loyola on Saturday, March 28. Faceoff is
scheduled for 12 p.m. at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field. The game will
air live nationally on ESPNU and locally on WMAR-TV in
Baltimore.
Game Notes: Syracuse improved to 68-25-2 all-time against Hobart
… The Statesmen are the Orange’s oldest rival having
served as SU’s first-ever varsity lacrosse opponent on April
29, 1916 … Eleven of Syracuse’s 13 goals Tuesday were
assisted … Nims extended his point-scoring streak to 23
games … The game marked the fourth time this season and
third time in the last four games that the Orange allowed five
goals or less … Head coach #John Desko# improved to 10-1
all-time against Hobart … The victory extended the
Orange’s season winning streak to four games.
