Hobart Rides Defense to 5-4 Win over Bryant
from press release
GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College lacrosse
team snapped a four-game slide with a suffocating defensive
performance in a 5-4 victory over Bryant University on Boswell
Field at the Caird Center for Sports and Recreation this afternoon.
Senior midfielder Mike White scored the game-winner with 5:12
remaining in the contest to send the Bulldogs to their fourth
straight loss.
Senior goalie Evan Kirk backstopped the Hobart defense with nine
saves, while the defense in front of him limited the number of
times Bryant was able to get off a shot in open space. Sophomore
defenseman Jake Eisenhard recorded career-highs with four ground
balls and four caused turnovers, while senior long-stick midfielder
Alex Caton scooped up a team-high five ground balls and caused two
turnovers.
“I thought the defense played great and Evan [Kirk] made some
big saves,” Head Coach T.W. Johnson said. “We did a
good job of doubling the ball and making them a little bit
uncomfortable passing the ball. [Bryant] put the ball on the ground
and we got some first touch ground balls in our defensive end and
were able to get it down to the offense.”
Bryants’ four goals are the fewest by a Hobart opponent since
the Statesmen limited Bucknell to just two tallies on March 7,
2009.
The Bullodogs (2-4) were nearly as stingy on the defensive end,
getting eight saves from junior goalie Jameson Love. Sophomore
defenseman Mason Poli posted game-highs with six ground balls and
five caused turnovers.
On the offensive end of the field, 11 different players scored the
goals with Hobart sophomore attackman Tyler Simmons and first-year
attackman Alex Love and Bryant junior midfielder Max Weisenberg
registering two-point days.
Weisenberg and sophomore attackman JK Poirier accounted for the
first two goals of the game, giving the visitors the early
momentum.
Appropriately enough, Hobart’s first goal came from a
defensive middie, junior Matt Campbell fired his first career goal
off a Love assist to make it a 2-1 game with 4:29 left in the first
quarter.
First-year attackman Dan Sipperly restored the Bulldogs’
two-goal lead with 2:03 left in the opening frame, but Simmons
played beat the clock, scoring with six ticks left to leave Bryant
a 3-2 edge entering the second quarter.
Love scored the only goal of the second quarter to send the teams
into halftime tied 3-all.
Weisenberg set up sophomore attackman Peter McMahon early in the
third quarter to give the Bulldogs their final lead of the day.
Late in the third quarter, Hobart (2-4) earned an extra-man
opportunity. Junior attackman Sam Miller took a feed from
classmate Chris Pedersen and fired a straight on 20-yard shot
through the back of the net. After the officials inspected the hole
in the netting and conferred, Miller was awarded his team-leading
12th goal of the year, tying the game with a quarter to play.
Hobart finished the game 1-for-4 on the extra-man and did not
commit a penalty for the second time this season.
Bryant won the faceoff to start the final frame and took the first
shot, but Kirk was up to the task, making his final save of the
day. After trading possession a couple of times, the Statesmen set
up for the game-winner. Simmons, stationed below the goal line
passed to White, who was to the left of the cage 12-yards out.
He’d been stopped on his previous three shots on goal, but at
the urging of Assistant Coach Mark Williamson ’04, White
dropped his aim to the goalie’s feet. It was just what the
doctor ordered, giving the Statesmen a 5-4 lead.
Junior midfielder Bobby Dattilo won the ensuing faceoff for Hobart.
He finished the game 7-of-13 at the X with three ground balls. Four
times down the stretch, the Bulldog defense was able to force
Statesmen turnovers, but each time, failed to clear the ball.
Bryant turned the ball over a total of 24 times, the most by a
Hobart opponent this season, while the visitors clearing rate,
.654, is the lowest by a Statesmen opponent this year. For its
part, Hobart was below its season average for turnovers with 18 and
successfully cleared on 20 of 21 tries.
