Late Rally by #9 Duke Hands #5 'Cuse Its Second-Straight OT Loss

Saturday, March 26

Durham, NC

Noon

Syracuse University

5-2, 1-1

#9 Duke

7-4, 1-0

Syracuse

Duke University

Late Rally by #9 Duke Hands #5 'Cuse Its Second-Straight OT Loss

3/26/2016 3:51:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Sergio Salcido records a career-high six points in the game

The No. 5 Syracuse men's lacrosse team (5-2, 1-1 ACC) jumped out to an early lead at No. 9 Duke (7-4, 1-0 ACC) Saturday, but a furious Blue Devil comeback in the fourth quarter sent the Orange to their second-straight overtime loss.

Sergio Salcido had a career day for 'Cuse, posting a career high six points on a personal best four goals, while Dylan Donahue contributed five points on two goals and three assists, to leave him only one point away from becoming the 17th player in program history to reach the 200-point plateau.

Goalkeeper Warren Hill also had a solid afternoon for Syracuse, making 11 saves, including one from point-blank range during a late fourth quarter Blue Devil extra-man opportunity to send the game into overtime.

The Orange opened up an early lead, beginning with Salcido, who got the scoring started off an assist from Nick Mariano just 4:48 into play. Tim Barber, who'd finish with a hat trick, also got into the mix early, scoring 33 seconds later on a pass from Scott Firman.

Salcido then opened up a three goal lead with 9:01 to go in the first, capping a 1:11 stretch where the Orange posted three goals.

Chad Cohan stopped the Orange run with 7:43 remaining in the period, but freshman Nate Solomon recorded his first goal in ACC play with just over three minutes left in the first, providing a 4-1 Orange lead after one.

Following a Syracuse penalty, Duke's Deemer Class scored his first-of-seven goals on the day just 22 seconds into the period with Justin Guterding pulling the Blue Devils back within one with 12:25 left before halftime.

However, 'Cuse would score five of the next-six goals in the ensuing seven minutes to take a five goal lead. Salcido returned the favor from the opening goal, this time finding Mariano for a goal of his own, before Jordan Evans and Tim Barber finished Dylan Donahue passes 21 seconds apart to cap a 3-0 SU run.

After Class scored again Salcido and Donahue scored twice in 17 seconds to take a 9-4 lead, but Duke continued to rally. Myles Jones and Class scored back-to-back goals to pull back within three. The Orange managed to score twice in the final-22 seconds of the half though, with Barber and Joe Gillis scoring right before the break to take an 11-6 lead into the locker room.

After Jones and Donahue traded goals to open the half, the Blue Devils went on an 8-2 run to take their first lead of the game with 6:28 to play. Case Matheis and Class scored back-to-back goals before Nick Weston found the back of the net to halt the mini Blue Devils run with 3:49 remaining in the third.

Guterding scored for Duke with 13 seconds remaining in the quarter to answer the Weston tally, but Salcido beat the buzzer, scoring with two seconds remaining to allow Syracuse to take a 14-10 lead into the fourth.

It was all Duke for the next-eight minutes though, with Class scoring three times, separated by goals from Cohan and Guterding to use a 5-0 run to take a 15-14 lead with 6:28 to go.

Derek DeJoe knotted things back up with 3:29 to go on a hard, low shot from the left side of the cage and neither team could capitalize on a late possession each to win it in regulation.

Then, 53 seconds into overtime, Cohan scored the game winner on an open look to hand the Orange their second-straight loss.

Duke managed to win the battle at the faceoff X, with the Blue Devils owning a 19-15 advantage on restarts. Duke also outshot 'Cuse 43-40 and win the ground ball battle 35-32 in the loss.

The Orange continued to do well on the clear, entering the game clearing at a nation-leading rate of 93-percent, Syracuse was 14-of-16 on Saturday.

Next, 'Cuse welcomes No. 2 Notre Dame to the Carrier Dome for another ACC battle on Saturday at 5 p.m.