'Nova No Match for Syracuse at the Dome
from press release
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 2 Syracuse (6-1,
2-0) extended its winning streak to four on Monday, March 29 with a
20-6 victory over No. 17 Villanova (5-3, 0-1) at the Carrier Dome
in its second BIG EAST Conference game of the year. Thirteen
different players scored goals for the Orange in the contest.
Syracuse scored five times in each quarter and its 20 goals were a
season high.
Junior Jeremy Thompson and freshman JoJo Marasco led the way. Both
players established career highs with five points apiece. Thompson
tallied three goals to record the first hat trick of his career. He
also notched two assists.
Marasco scored a goal and passed out a personal-best four assists.
His one score was a head-turner as he flipped it in behind his back
with 9:44 to play in the game.
Junior Stephen Keogh added four points (3g, 1a) and senior Cody
Jamieson finished with three points (2g, 1a). So did senior Chris
Daniello who totaled a goal and two assists.
Junior Jovan Miller and classmate Alex Giocondi were SU’s
other multi-goal scorers. Both players scored twice. It was the
second straight two-goal game for Miller, equaling his
personal-best. Giocondi’s two scores were also a career
high.
The Orange dominated the statistics, holding the advantage in
shots (47-21) and ground balls (44-21). It also won 19 of the
game’s 29 faceoffs. Syracuse outshot the Wildcats, 22-12, in
the opening half and used a 7-1 first-half run to gain control of
the contest.
Villanova opened the game’s scoring, but three consecutive
Orange goals in the span of 3:09 midway through the first quarter
put the hosts in front, 3-2. A goal by Villanova’s Jack Rice
stopped the run, but Keogh and Miller found cage 28 seconds apart
near the end of the quarter to give the Orange a 5-2 advantage
heading into the second stanza.
The Orange extended its lead to 7-2 with 8:55 to go in the opening
half on unassisted goals by junior junior Josh Amidon and
Daniello.
Syracuse owned a 10-4 advantage at the intermission.
Comfortably ahead, the Orange never let the Wildcats breathe in
the second half, outscoring the visitors, 5-1, in the third quarter
and 10-2 for the half to cruise to the win.
Defensively, the Orange took away Villanova’s top two
offensive threats. Senior close defenseman Matt Tierney held Rice,
the Wildcats’ leading goal scorer, to just the one tally.
Junior John Lade, who played at Villanova before transferring to
Syracuse, matched up with Kevin Cunningham and shut out the
Wildcats’ top overall point producer.
To compound matters for Villanova, Syracuse’s dominance at
the faceoff X and its inability to create turnovers (Syracuse was
21-for-21 on clears) made offensive possessions scarce.
Senior Gavin Jenkinson paced on the Orange, winning 8-of-11
faceoffs. Thompson chipped in, going 7-for-9 at the X.
Mark Scioscia led the Wildcats with two goals. No other Villanova
player had more than one point. Brian Karalunas, a product of
nearby Jamesville-DeWitt High School, recovered a team-best five
ground balls for the Wildcats. He also caused a game-high five
turnovers.
Syracuse steps back out of conference for its next game. The
Orange will face non-league rival Albany on Saturday, April 3.
Start time is 4 p.m. The matchup will be televised live in the
Syracuse area on Time Warner Cable Sports.
Game Notes: Syracuse is 3-0 all-time against Villanova …
The Orange’s average margin of victory in the series is 13.3
goals per game … The Orange has won its last 12 in a row at
the Carrier Dome, the third-longest active home winning streak in
the nation … Keogh’s assist was his first of the
season … Junior Josh Knight saw his first game action
of 2010 and went 4-for-8 on faceoffs … Freshman Kyle
Carey attempted the first faceoff of his career in the fourth
quarter … Junior Jeff Gilbert scored his first goal of
the year in the second quarter … Redshirt freshman Ryan
Barber notched the first points of his college career with a goal
and an assist in the fourth quarter.
