April 17, 2008

By Christopher James Daily Orange

April 17, 2008

Syracuse, NY (UWIRE) -- Even with his team firmly ahead late in the first half, Gary Gait found room to critique the Syracuse women's lacrosse team.

Up 16-2, Gait chatted up Athletic Director Daryl Gross who was on hand for the senior night ceremony. Gross asked the coach if he was happy with the score line.

"He goes 'You're probably not, right?'" Gait recalled Gross asking. "And I go, 'No, I'm not happy with our defense, I'd rather have that at a zero right now.' So, that was the discussion. He goes 'That's what I thought.'"

The Orange may not have been as crisp as Gait would have liked, but No. 4 Syracuse still found a way to put up record-setting numbers in a 24-6 blowout of Colgate Wednesday in the Carrier Dome. The win moves the Orange to 12-2 on the season - one win shy of tying the most wins in a season set last year. The 24 goals ties the record for most in school history, set earlier this year against Canisius.

The game began with a sloppiness rarely seen from the Orange. The ball hit the turf on errant passes and even slid out of sticks when players were all alone. In the game's first six and a half minutes, six ground balls were collected. The teams finished with just nine in the entire first half.

But that beginning soon transitioned into a barrage of SU goals that left the Red Raiders helpless.

"I'd say we didn't have the best start," attack Halley Quillinan said. "We decided to put it together and really play a complete game. You know, get the passes on the stick, get the ground balls, get the draw controls."

Junior attack Katie Rowan tallied 10 points - seven goals and three assists - to pass Leigh Ann-Zimmer as Syracuse's career points leader. But even Rowan saw the ball slip out of her stick twice on a drive early in the game.

Those miscues didn't last long. Up 1-0 five minutes into the game, SU put up 6 goals in a little more than two minutes.

(C) 2008 Daily Orange via UWIRE