Heartbreak City: Syracuse Tops Hobart in Overtime
from press release
GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart senior goalie Max
Silberlicht produced a career-high 23 saves but the second-ranked
Syracuse lacrosse team escaped with a 9-8 victory and the
Kraus-Simmons Trophy thanks to junior attackman Stephen
Keough’s goal with 43 seconds remaining in overtime.
Senior attackman Chris Daniello started the game-winning sequence
from behind the cage, passing to Keough who was about 7 yards in
front of the goal. He gave a slight stick fake and fired, slipping
his shot just past Silberlicht’s right hand.
The entire Statesmen defense, which entered the game 10th in the
nation in scoring defense, turned in its strongest performance of
the year against its toughest opponent to date. Hobart limited SU
to just two goals in the first quarter and none in the second to
build a 5-2 halftime lead.
Junior midfielder Jovan Miller opened the scoring for the Orange
just 82 seconds into the game. Hobart pulled even with 2:22 left in
the frame on a goal by senior midfielder Mike Suits, assisted by
senior attackman Kevin Curtin. SU reclaimed the lead 39 seconds
later on a strike by senior attackman Cody Jamieson, set up by
first-year attackman JoJo Marasco.
The Statesmen (2-4) stunned the defending national champions with
four unanswered goals in the second quarter, all in a span of just
over four minutes. Sophomore attackman Sam Miller began the run,
depositing a pass from junior midfielder Tim Bigelow. Senior
midfielder Tyler Cassell followed with an unassisted tally. Curtin
netted the next two for Hobart. Both times he drove his defender
past goal line extended and spun back to the cage for a point-blank
shot. Just like that, the Statesmen led 5-2 with 9:16 left in the
second quarter.
SU (5-1) began its comeback in the third quarter, sandwiching goals
by Marasco and Keough around a marker by Hobart junior long-stick
midfielder Alex Caton.
Miller and Marasco scored back-to-back to tie the game at six with
11:58 left in the fourth quarter. Sophomore attackman Chris
Pedersen put the Statesmen back in front off an assist from
first-year defenseman Reid Rosello.
Daniello registered consecutive unassisted goals, the last at 5:08,
to put Syracuse ahead 8-7.
With 1:04 left in regulation, Pedersen forced overtime with a
left-handed laser to the upper left corner of the SU cage.
The Orange took 56 shots in the contest (to Hobart’s 24), but
Silberlicht handled the building pressure, making eight of his
stops in the fourth quarter and another in OT. SU also had the edge
in ground balls (31-25) and faceoffs (11-10). The Orange (6th in
the nation in man-up offense, 54.5%) went 0-for-5 with the extra
man, while the Statesmen were 0-for-2.
Daniello and Marasco finished with three points apiece for
Syracuse, while Curtin had three to lead Hobart.
Silberlicht’s counterpart, junior John Galloway, earned the
win with seven saves.
Hobart will return to action on March 27, when the Statesmen visit
ECAC rival Fairfield. Faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will
be televised as the ECAC Lacrosse League Game of the Week. Syracuse
is off until Mon., March 29, when the Orange host Villanova at 3
p.m.
