Top-Ranked Men's Lacrosse Travels to Baltimore to Face No. 2-Ranked Johns Hopkins
3/15/2002 9:59:36 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Game 5: at #2 Johns Hopkins
Sat., March 16, 2002, 1:00 p.m., Homewood Field
The Syracuse men's lacrosse team remained No. 1 in the polls this week after winning the 2002 Pioneer Face-Off Classic, March 9-10, at the University of Denver's Pioneer Field in Colorado. The Orangemen defeated Air Force, 20-8, and survived a close contest against host Denver, 13-10.
The Orangemen bring their 4-0 record to Baltimore this Saturday as they face No. 2-ranked Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field, beginning at 1 p.m. The Blue Jays are one of only four teams to defeat Syracuse in the new millennium. They are the only team to leave the Carrier Dome with a victory in the past two seasons.
In 2001, Johns Hopkins won the only meeting between the two teams, 11-10, in Syracuse. Dave Pietramala was the head coach of last year's Hopkins team, as well as the Cornell Big Red squad that handed the Orangemen their only loss of the 2000 national-championship campaign, a 13-12 setback in Ithaca on April 11.
Johns Hopkins (2-0) controls the all-time series between the two schools, 20-14-1. Syracuse has won four of the last six meetings. The Orangemen's most recent victory against the Blue Jays was a 14-12 decision in the 2000 national semifinals at Maryland's Byrd Stadium.
Orangemen in the Midst of a Five-Game Road Swing
The tough road began March 2, in Charlottesville, Va. against then No. 5-ranked Virginia. It continued through the high altitude of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado for back-to-back matches against Air Force and Denver. This week's game marks a battle between the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams in the land. On March 23, SU heads to Princeton, N.J. for its long-awaited rematch of the 2001 national championship game against the Tigers at Class of 1952 Stadium.
During the past five seasons (1997-2001), Syracuse posted a 33-11 record away from home. The Orangemen have won 18 of 21 road games in the new millennium.
Powell Pushes the Pace - Already Closing in on 100 Career Points
Sophomore attackman Michael Powell (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage), the Preseason Player of the Year, scored a career-high five goals and had a game-high eight points in Syracuse's 18-11 season-opening victory against No. 20-ranked Army. The eight points were a personal best for Powell and it marked the most points registered by an Orangeman since the 2000 NCAA quarterfinals when older brother, Ryan Powell, torched Georgetown with four goals and four assists.
Against Virginia, Powell scored four goals and had two assists. Last weekend in Denver, he had three goals and three assists in each of SU's two games.
In 20 career games, Powell has registered at least five points, 11 times. He had three games last season in which he posted six points (vs. Loyola, Brown and Virginia).
Presently, Powell leads the team in scoring with 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists), or a 6.50 point-per-game average. He is four points away from reaching the century mark in career points. He is the owner of 96 career points (45 goals, 51 assists) and has never been shut out of a game. He has either scored a goal or had an assist in all 20 games of his young career.
Desko in Fourth Season as Head Coach (44-9 Overall, 2-2 vs. Hopkins)
Springer Needs a Hat Trick at Hopkins to Notch His 100th Career Goal
Junior attackman Michael Springer (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) had eight points in the two games out in Denver (five goals, three assists). He scored four goals and had one assist in the win against Denver to move into 17th place on SU's all-time goals chart. He currently owns 97 career goals and will become the 17th player in school history to reach the century mark in goals if he can manage three more. In his 35 games for the Orangemen, Springer has recorded three or more goals 21 times.
Springer, who averaged 2.84 goals per game in his first two seasons at SU, is on pace to finish his career as one of the top three goal scorers in school history.
Sharpshooter Nee Tallies Three Goals in Win Against Air Force
Sophomore attackman Brian Nee (Cockeysville, Md./Boys' Latin) gives the Orangemen a great advantage on extra-man situations. A 6-foot, one-inch lefty, Nee has been incredibly effective for SU when opposing teams commit penalties. This season, Nee scored twice at Virginia. He followed that up with three goals in SU's 20-8 win against Air Force out in Denver. In the win against the host Pioneers, Nee dished out his first two career assists. He is fifth on the team in scoring with seven points (five goals, two assists).
Last season, Nee registered 17 goals and had the best shooting percentage on the team at 50 percent.
A great knack for finding the back of the net, Nee is shooting the ball with a .468 accuracy mark for his career (22 goals on 47 shots). Compared to the minutes the other attackmen play, Nee is clearly one of the most productive players on the team.
Coffman Breaks Into School's Top 25 All-Time Scoring List
Out in Denver, senior attackman Josh Coffman (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage) totalled seven goals and one assist in the two games. With the offensive explosion, he cracked the school's top 25 for all-time scoring. Coffman is currently tied for 22nd with 145 career points (91 goals, 54 assists). His 91 goals place him 20th on the all-time goals ledger at SU. He registered four goals in the win against Denver, tying his career high. Coffman also tallied four goals in the win at Virginia.
Out of 53 career games, Coffman has recorded at least four points 18 times.
Coffman seems very natural and comfortable at the attack position. His first three seasons at SU, he played primarily at midfield. At that position, Coffman was considered one of the best in the nation, as evidenced by his first-team All-America accolades last season and his preseason All-America nods at midfield this year.
Syracuse is 33-7 when Coffman scores a goal. He has 15 hat tricks to his credit during his time at SU.
Bickel Learning His Way at the Face-Off X, Winning More Than 50%
Junior midfielder Chris Bickel (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) has been SU's main face-off specialist so far this season. He has won 47-of-89 faceoffs, good for a .528 mark after just four games. Against Air Force last week, Bickel won 10-of-18 draws. He won half of his trips at the "X" against Denver. In the fourth quarter against the Pioneers, Bickel and company struggled for a stretch, losing six-straight faceoffs which helped Denver claw back into the game and tie the contest at 9-9. But, Bickel hung tough and won the final two draws to help SU seal the victory.
Assisting Bickel from the wings has been a number of different players. Freshman midfielder Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) has had the most success. Because of his strength and quickness, Park is usually the first to the groundballs for Syracuse. He is tied for the team-lead with 18 ground balls so far. A two-sport athlete at Syracuse, Park also plays soccer for the Orangemen. He was the 2001 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year in soccer and was voted the National Freshman of the Year by Soccer America Magazine. He led the team, the BIG EAST and the nation in assists (14).
Another freshman, midfielder Jake Plunket (Cortland, N.Y./Homer), has also taken some faceoffs for Syracuse this season. He demonstrates huge potential and has won 14-of-28 draws so far.
Also used on the wings has been junior Matt Bontaites (Marblehead, Mass./Marblehead), freshman long-stick midfielder Joe Sabasteanski (Darien, Conn./Darien), senior midfielder John Burns (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) and at times, sophomore attackman Michael Powell (Carthage, N.Y.).
Pfeifer Wins Starting Goaltender Job, Has Helped SU to a 4-0 Record
Jay Pfeifer (Towson, Md./Gilman) was in stiff competition with teammates Alex Mummolo (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury) and Nick Donatelli (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) for the starting goaltender position, vacated by three-year starter Rob Mulligan.
Pfeifer redshirted last season, taking the year to get comfortable and learn the Syracuse system. He won the job this season because of his ability to make saves and clear the ball. His overall chemistry (i.e. communication, leadership) with the rest of the Syracuse defense was a factor as well.
Against Virginia, Pfeifer had a terrific game. After allowing six goals in the first quarter, he settled down to record 18 saves, including 10 in the second half. He was solid in the win against Denver with 11 saves against the Pioneers, including 10 following the game's opening quarter. Pfeifer's trend seems to be that he gets stronger, more comfortable and more confident as the game wears on.
Pfeifer has strong lacrosse genes. His father, Jerry, played lacrosse at Johns Hopkins and served as an assistant coach for the Blue Jays.
Career Firsts Recorded by SU Newcomers out in Denver
Every Syracuse player who made the trip to Denver last weekend played against Air Force, except for sophomore goaltender Nick Donatelli (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) who was stricken with a sinus infection that forced him to miss both games.
A number of players recorded their first collegiate points.
Kyle Olson (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) scored his first collegiate goal against the Falcons. Olson, a regular on SU's third middie line, notched his first career goal in the pivotal second quarter where the Orangemen outscored Air Force, 6-0.
Sophomore attackman Alex Zink (Rowayton, Conn./Darien) tallied his first goal in the fourth quarter against Air Force. It was a man-down goal which he tossed in off an assist from senior defenseman John Glatzel. It gave SU its largest lead of the game (19-6).
Freshman Jake Plunket (Cortland, N.Y./Homer) also found the back of the net against Air Force. His goal came right before Zink's in the fourth quarter.
Attackman Zack Wallace (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) saw his first action in the third quarter against the Falcons. He had two assists in the game, his first two college points.
Extra-Man and Special Teams Looking Sharp
SU's man-up unit has scored on 11-of-21 opportunities so far this season, good for a .524 success rate. The Orangemen scored a season-high five extra-man goals (out of seven opportunities) in the win against Air Force.
Conversely, Syracuse's man-down unit has done an excellent job of limiting the opponent's success on extra-man opportunities. SU's opponents are a combined 3-of-21 (.143) on the man-up.
After four games last year, the Orangemen had a .480 success rate on the EMO (12-for-25). SU's extra-man unit is primarily made up of the same players from last season (Michael Powell, Brian Nee, Michael Springer, Spencer Wright, Brian Solliday and Josh Coffman).
