Not This Time: Syracuse Stops Colgate
by J. Jude Hazard | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Syracuse contained Colgate's
Brandon Corp and got goals from 11 different players en route to a
13-7 win at the Carrier Dome on Saturday, securing its place atop
the rankings and likely dashing the Red Raiders' hopes of an NCAA
tournament bid.
"It was obviously a big game for both teams, given the recent
history and Colgate's need for a win today," Syracuse coach John
Desko said. "It definitely had a playoff atmosphere to it."
Colgate (9-6) lost three games to finish the season after heading
into an April 18 matchup against Bucknell riding an eight game
winning streak. Coach Jim Nagle said the Red Raiders approached the
Syracuse game thinking they'd need a win to earn an NCAA tournament
bid.
"I think we'd be a little surprised, to be frank, if we got in,"
Nagle said. "It's disappointing to lose three in a row at the end,
but if you look at the whole body of work that our senior class has
put together, they should be real proud of it."
The Orange (12-2) outshot Colgate 15-3 in the first quarter and
took a 4-1 lead into the second quarter.
"We've had trouble this year starting out with the first quarter,"
Syracuse attack Kenny Nims said. "To come out and put in four
first-quarter goals is pretty big for us."
The Red Raiders dominated the possession in the second quarter but
managed only one goal on 11 shots.
Syracuse scored on two of its three shots in the second quarter,
including a close-range goal by Dan Hardy as time expired.
With the Red Raiders down 10-3 late in the third quarter, Corp
recorded assists on three consecutive goals and then scored with
10:02 left in the game to cap a 4-0 run that brought the score to
10-7.
But Syracuse senior Jake Moulton won the faceoff following Corp's
goal and drove down the field, scoring his first career goal with
9:57 left in the game.
"When Jake won the face off and came down and scored, it certainly
popped the momentum and helped us," Desko said. "We needed a goal
at that point and he got it for us."
Syracuse defender Sid Smith targeted Corp throughout the game,
limiting the Colgate standout to just one goal and three
assists.
"We want to be playing our best at the end of the year," Smith
said. "That's what it's all about."
Desko said he expects Syracuse will be one of the top three seeds
once the NCAA tournament field is announced on Sunday.
The Orange had lost its last two games against Colgate, including a
12-5 defeat at the Carrier Dome in 2007. Syracuse improved its
all-time record versus Colgate to 43-11-1 with Saturday's win.
"The fact that people are calling it a rivalry, I think, says a lot
about where the program has gone and where Brandon and some of his
fellow classmates have taken the program," Nagle said.
Corp grew up in Chittenango, N.Y., about 20 miles east of Syracuse
and has likely played his final college lacrosse game in the
Carrier Dome.
"I went out and did all I could, and I think our team did
everything we could," he said. "That's how you want to go out."
