Men's Lacrosse Ready to Rebound at Rutgers Saturday
4/12/2002 12:57:57 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Game 11: at Rutgers
Sat., April 13, 2002, 1 p.m., Yurcak Field
Listen to the Game
The Orangemen will be looking to rebound at Rutgers this Saturday, following their 15-11 loss to No. 9-ranked Cornell in Ithaca on April 9. Syracuse, the No. 1-ranked team in both the coaches and media polls this week, is now 8-2 on the season. It was the second-straight contest the Orangemen have dropped at Cornell's Schoellkopf Field. In 2000, a 13-12 loss to the Big Red at Schoellkopf marked the only loss of the season for the 15-1 national-champion Orangemen.
Rutgers enters Saturday's match with a 2-8 overall record and an 0-2 mark in the ECAC. The Scarlet Knights' two wins came against Manhattan (12-5) and St. Joseph's (14-3) earlier in the season. RU, under the leadership of first-year head coach Jim Stagnitta, has played a challenging schedule. Towson, Delaware, Notre Dame, Navy, Princeton, UMBC and Army have all faced off against the Knights.
This will be the 38th meeting between SU and Rutgers. The Orangemen own a 31-6 edge in the all-time series and have won the last three outings. RU last won in 1998, 12-10, in New Jersey.
Orange Career Numbers vs. Rutgers
Player (Goals-Assists=Points) Josh Coffman 6-3=9 Brian Solliday 4-0=4 Michael Springer 3-1=4 Michael Powell 3-0=3 Mike Smith 1-0=1 Brett Walther 1-0=1 Spencer Wright 1-0=1 Pat Hogan 1-0=1Faceoffs Wins/Faceoffs Attempted Chris Bickel 2/5
Bouncing Back From Defeat -Syracuse Style
Only once in the past 10 years has the Syracuse lacrosse team lost two games in a row during the same season - that was during the 1995 season when Virginia (15-7) and Johns Hopkins (14-13 OT) beat the Orangemen in back-to-back contests at the Carrier Dome.
The Orangemen, who have only lost 29 games since 1992, usually bounce back from losses by posting wins in their very next outing. Since 1992, SU has followed up a regular-season loss with a win 19 out of 20 times.
To illustrate Syracuse's resiliency even clearer, look how the team has responded after losses during the course of the past 20 years. Since 1982, there have been only two times when SU has posted two or more consecutive losses (1982 and 1995).
To take it a step further, the Orangemen's average margin of defeat since 1992 is 2.45 goals. Out of the 29 games SU has lost in the past 10 years, 14 of them have been decided by just one goal. The loss at Cornell this week (15-11) was the first time in the new millennium that the Orangemen have lost by more than one goal. SU has lost just six games since 2000, and five of them were decided by a single goal.
Springer vs. Springer
SU attackman Michael Springer will face his brother's team for the third time in his career. Ken Springer, a junior attackman for Rutgers, is a year younger than Mike. The two grew up playing at Ridgewood High School in New Jersey where they were both all-state and all-league performers. Ken scored nine points last season for RU (five goals, four assists) and is tied for the team lead in goals this season with 14. There are two other Springer brothers who are younger than Michael and Ken. Their parents are Kenneth and Mary.
Cornell Scores Most Goals Against Orangemen (15) in Nearly Two Years
The 15 goals Syracuse allowed Cornell to score Tuesday, were the most given up by an Orangemen squad since May 6, 2000 when SU let Georgetown post 16 goals. However, the Orangemen won that contest, 24-16. The last time Syracuse gave up that many goals in a loss was May 8, 1999. The Orangemen were defeated 17-13 at Georgetown in the final game of the regular season. The last time SU let a team other than Georgetown score that many goals was April 25, 1999 - a 15-14 quadruple overtime loss to Princeton at the Carrier Dome.
Powell Scores Game-High Seven Points at Cornell
Sophomore attackman Michael Powell (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage) had seven points against Cornell (three goals, four assists), the most he has accumulated in a game since the season opener against Army when he tallied a career-high eight points on five goals and three assists. Powell, the Preseason Player of the Year, equalled his career-high with four assists against the Big Red. This week, he was tied for third in the nation in scoring (4.44).
The eight points Powell put up against Army 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.
Michael Powell had a goal and two assists against No. 3-ranked Loyola. Prior to that, he had three goals and an assist at Brown. His third goal against Brown, marked his 50th career tally.
Against Hobart, Powell reached the century mark for career points. He had a goal and three assists vs. the Statesmen. His assist on the first goal of the game just 42 seconds into the contest marked his 100th career point. Against Virginia, Powell scored four goals and had two assists. In Denver, he had three goals and three assists in each of SU's two games. Against Johns Hopkins, Powell was held to one assist. It was only the third time in his career (first time this season) that he was held without a goal. Last year, the only games he did not score a goal were against Notre Dame in the NCAA semifinals and at Hobart. The second-year attackman bounced back at Princeton with a goal and an assist.
In 26 career games, Powell has registered at least five points, 12 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 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists), or a 4.70 point-per-game average. He is the owner of 117 career points (54 goals, 63 assists). Powell has never been shut out of a game. He has either scored a goal or had an assist in all 26 games of his career.
Desko in Fourth Season as Head Coach (48-11 Overall, 3-0 vs. Rutgers)
John Desko owns the unparalleled distinction of being the only Division I men's coach to guide his team to the national championship game in each of his first three seasons. He brings this accomplishment and others into his fourth year at the helm, continuing to prove why he is one of the most successful lacrosse coaches in the game today.
Last season, Desko guided the Orangemen to a 13-3 record, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the program's 19th consecutive appearance in the national semifinals and the school's 12th appearance (third straight) in the national championship game. It was the second year in a row that SU earned the top seed.
He and his staff have achieved success by scheduling the nation's toughest competition and coming out on top in those games. Since Desko took over in 1999, Syracuse is 16-6 against top 10 teams. His record as head coach is 48-11, including an 8-2 mark in the postseason.
In 2000, Desko led the Orangemen to the NCAA title. It was the school's seventh crown and first since 1995. That year, he guided SU to a 15-1 record, the best finish since 1988, and an 18th-consecutive appearance in the final four.
The 1999 season saw Desko become the third head coach in Division I history to reach the NCAA title game in just his first year at the helm. He led the Orangemen to a 12-5 record, a 17th-consecutive trip to the NCAA Final Four and the program's 10th appearance in an NCAA championship game. It was the first time a No. 8 seed ever reached the national semifinals and finals.
This year, he will be serving his third term as a member of the NCAA Lacrosse Committee, a group that oversees and regulates rules, championships and other issues pertinent to the sport. Desko was selected to the committee in 1999.
Springer All Alone at 14th on School's Career Goals List
Junior attackman Michael Springer (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) had two goals at Cornell to move into sole possession of 14th place on the school's all-time goals chart. He had a game-high four goals and an assist against Hobart which helped him surpass the century mark. He followed that up with three goals and an assist in SU's 14-13 overtime win at Brown, including the game-winning goal in overtime. He is SU's third-leading scorer with 26 points (20 goals, six assists). Against Princeton, he was held without a point for just the second time in his career (the first time was against Princeton in last year?s national championship game). Only six times in 41 career games has Springer been held to fewer than two points. He has recorded three or more goals 23 times in his career. He averaged 2.84 goals per game in his first two seasons at SU.
Park Makes the Scoring Column Five Games in a Row - (1-1 vs. Cornell)
Freshman midfielder Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) has scored seven goals and has two assists in SU's last five games. He tallied his first collegiate goal at Princeton on March 23, and it turned out to be the game-winner. Against Hobart, Park found the back of the net twice. In the overtime win at Brown, Park registered two goals and an assist. He scored versus Loyola and had a goal and an assist at Cornell. His niche on the team is as part of the face-off unit. He leads the team with 53 groundballs (5.30 per game). Because of his strength and quickness, Park is an asset for SU. A two-sport athlete, 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).
Coffman Looking for 100th Career Goal, Now 17th on All-time Scoring List
Senior attackman Josh Coffman (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage) is SU's second-leading scorer with 39 points. He is second on the team with 22 goals, but was held without a goal at Cornell on Tuesday. He did dish out one assist vs. the Big Red. Coffman had a three-goal, three-assist game against Loyola, in which he was the contest's leading point-getter. That effort moved him up to 17th on the school's all-time scoring list and into a tie for sixth in the nation in points per game.
He had a one-goal, two-assist performance in the overtime win at Brown. Against Hobart, Coffman dished out a career-high five assists. He set up the final four first-quarter goals to help SU jump out to an early 6-1 lead against the Statesmen.
Coffman currently owns 165 career points (99 goals, 66 assists). His 99 goals place him 18th 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.
At Princeton, Coffman finished the game with three goals and an assist.
Out of 59 career games, Coffman has recorded at least four points 21 times. During his first three seasons at SU, he played primarily at midfield. At that position on the field, Coffman earned first-team All-America accolades. Syracuse is 36-8 when Coffman scores a goal. He has 17 hat tricks to his credit during his time at SU.
Coffman was recently added to the U.S. team that will compete in the International Federation World Championship this July in Perth, Australia. Coffman was selected to replace Andy Ross, a pilot in the Navy, who will be unable to participate due to a deployment beginning in May.
Pfeifer Looks to Get Back Between the Pipes After Frustrating Day at Cornell
Jay Pfeifer (Towson, Md./Gilman) endured his toughest day as the Syracuse goalie Tuesday at Cornell, after an otherwise solid start to his rookie campaign. The Big Red scored 15 goals on 31 shots (.484). The five saves Pfeifer totalled marked the fewest he has recorded while playing a game's full 60 minutes, while the 15 goals marked the most he has allowed.
Pfeifer, SU's starter, now owns a .508 save percentage and a 9.61 goals against average.
He sported a new look against Hobart, wearing orange football pants which were specially ordered for him with his #2 stitched on. Pfeifer played the game's first 34 minutes and had 10 saves, while allowing just one goal. It was his best single-game save percentage of the season (.909). He slipped the pants on again for the game against Loyola. In that contest, Pfeifer recorded seven saves and allowed six goals.
At 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 has strong lacrosse genes. His father, Jerry, played lacrosse at Johns Hopkins and served as an assistant coach for the Blue Jays. At JHU's Homewood Field on March 16, Pfeifer had his best performance of the season. He made 15 saves, including a few in exciting fashion. He also showed his ability to come out of the cage and initiate the break.
