Top-Ranked Men's Lacrosse Faces Tough Test Against Undefeated Loyola
4/5/2002 1:56:51 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Game 9: vs. #3 Loyola
Sat., April 6, 2002, 4 p.m., Carrier Dome
Listen to the Game
After winning a 14-13 overtime decision at Brown last Saturday, the Syracuse men's lacrosse team remained No. 1 in the STX/USILA Coaches Poll, but dropped to No. 2 in the InsideLacrosse.com Media Poll. The Orangemen have won their last three games and are 7-1 on the season.
Loyola (7-0) is one of two undefeated teams left in NCAA Division I men's lacrosse. Georgetown is the other undefeated team, also with a 7-0 record.
The Greyhounds have won all of their games by an average of 4.14 goals. They have posted victories against five ranked opponents: Delaware (17-12), Hofstra (8-7), Duke (11-9), Notre Dame (7-6 2OT) and Towson (15-7). Loyola's other two wins were against Brown, 8-6, and Sacred Heart, 17-7.
Syracuse owns a 12-4 advantage in the all-time series against Loyola. The Greyhounds have won three of the last five meetings with the Orangemen including last year's 14-13 overtime victory at Curley Field. Loyola is coached by former Orangeman, Bill Dirrigl, who graduated from Syracuse in 1988. He is in his first season as head coach at Loyola.
On the Air
Radio
SU's games will be broadcast on the school's flagship radio station for lacrosse, ESPN Radio 1260 AM. Andy Jones will handle play-by-play duties, while Syracuse equipment manager Kyle Fetterly will serve as the color analyst. The games can be heard through the internet at www.suathletics.com.
WAER FM 88 will also broadcast all the games, led by sports director Andy Demetra.
Television
Time Warner 13 in Syracuse will broadcast the three remaining home games and air them on a tape-delay basis. Doug Wright will handle play-by-play duties, while Dale Drypolcher provides analysis. The game versus Loyola will air Sunday, April 7, at 7 p.m. The UMass contest will air on Sunday, April 28, at 7 p.m.
Orangemen Lead the Nation in Scoring Offense
Syracuse is the top-scoring team in the nation, according to the April 1st NCAA Division I Statistics. The NCAA releases the Division I statistics each Tuesday on its web site, www.ncaa.org.
The Orangemen are averaging 14.75 goals per game, the most of any team in the nation. Towson is second with 13.50 goals per game. SU also ranks high in scoring margin (T2nd - 5.25), win percentage (T3rd - .875), man-up offense (6th - .452) and man-down defense (6th - .833).
Individually, sophomore attackman Michael Powell (Carthage, N.Y.) ranks second in points per game (4.63) behind Georgetown's Steve Dusseau (4.83).
DOME-ination
Syracuse owns a record of 129-11 (.921) at the Carrier Dome. The Orangemen are 2-0 this season and are scheduled to play two more games at home during the 2002 campaign following this week's game against Loyola.
The Orangemen went a combined 12-1 at home during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. SU posted a record of 7-1 at home last season. The first season the Orangemen began playing under the white bubble was 1981.
Track SU's Five Tewaaraton Trophy Candidates on the Web!
Syracuse University is proud to unveil a new feature on its athletics web site dedicated to the promotion of SU's five men's lacrosse Tewaaraton Trophy candidates. The new feature can be viewed and bookmarked at www.suathletics.com/tewaaraton
.
This new page was designed to help media members, fans and voters track SU's five Tewaaraton candidates. The site includes each player's season statistics, their career biographies and a small photo gallery. Statistics and bios will be updated following each game the Orangemen play during the remainder of the season.
The five Orangemen who are vying for the second annual Tewaaraton Trophy are: Josh Coffman, John Glatzel, Michael Powell, Michael Springer and Spencer Wright.
The Tewaaraton Trophy is presented annually following the collegiate season to the top male and female varsity collegiate lacrosse players in the United States. Scholarship money is given to the award recipient's college or university general scholarship fund. Five finalists will be announced in May. The Tewaaraton Trophy Awards Dinner will be held at the University Club of Washington, D.C. on June 5, 2002 at a banquet honoring the finalists and winners.
Powell Ranked Second in the Nation in PPG - Nets 50th Career Goal at Brown
Sophomore attackman Michael Powell (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage), the Preseason Player of the Year, is second in the nation in scoring according to the March 31st NCAA Division I Statistics for points per game (4.63). He 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.
He is coming off a three-goal, one-assist performance 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 24 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 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists), or a 4.63 point-per-game average.
He is the owner of 107 career points (50 goals, 57 assists). Powell has never been shut out of a game. He has either scored a goal or had an assist in all 24 games of his career.
Desko in Fourth Season as Head Coach (47-10 Overall, 2-2 vs. Loyola)
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 15-5 against top 10 teams. His record as head coach is 47-10, 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.
Wright Records 50th Career Point at Brown
Senior midfielder Spencer Wright (San Diego, Calif./Junipero Serra) has seven goals and an assist in SU's last three games. He had three goals and an assist in the win against Princeton, three goals versus Hobart, and a goal in the overtime win at Brown. He is fourth on the team in points (18) and goals (13). Last season, Wright totalled 28 points (18 goals) in 16 games.
Hobart was Wright's second three-goal game of the season and just the fourth of his career. Last year, he scored three goals against Virginia and had a career-high four goals at Georgetown.
Wright is now the owner of 50 career points (35 goals, 15 assists). He has tallied a goal or an assist in 19 consecutive games for the Orangemen dating back to last season.
His .419 shooting percentage (13 goals on 31 shots) ranks third on the team behind Springer's .500 and Powell?s .435.
Springer the Hero in Overtime at Brown - Moves to 16th on All-Time Goals List
Junior attackman Michael Springer (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) had a game-high four goals and an assist against Hobart which helped him surpass the century mark for career goals. He followed that up with three goals and an assist in SU's 14-13 overtime win at Brown last weekend, including the game-winning goal in overtime. In the process, Springer climbed to 16th on the school's all-time goals list (105). He is SU's third-leading scorer with 23 points (17 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). It was only the fifth time in 39 career games that Springer had fewer than two points.
In his 39 games for the Orangemen, Springer has recorded three or more goals 23 times. He averaged 2.84 goals per game in his first two seasons at SU.
Park Breaks the Ice - Rookie Has Five Goals in SU's Last Three Games
Freshman midfielder Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) has scored five goals and has one assist in SU's last three 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. The rookie has found a niche on this year's team as part of the face-off unit. He leads the team with 35 groundballs (4.38 per game), plays on the third middie line, and has been in key defensive situations (i.e. the fourth quarter vs. Hopkins). 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 Added to U.S. Team - Currently Tied for 11th in the Nation in Scoring
Senior attackman Josh Coffman (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage), SU's second-leading scorer with 32 points, is tied for 11th in the nation in points per game (4.00). He had a one-goal, two-assist performance in the overtime win at Brown. The effort moved him into sole possession of 19th place on the all-time scoring list at Syracuse.
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 158 career points (96 goals, 62 assists). His 96 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 helped Syracuse come back from a 4-0 deficit in the first half by tallying two goals and an assist which sparked the SU offense and helped the Orangemen tie it up 4-4 by halftime. Coffman finished the game with three goals and an assist.
Out of 57 career games, Coffman has recorded at least four points 20 times. During his first three seasons at SU, he played primarily at midfield. At that position on the field, Coffman was considered one of the best in the nation, as evidenced by his first-team All-America accolades last season. Syracuse is 35-8 when Coffman scores a goal. He has 16 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.
Glatzel Makes Key Defensive Play in Waning Moments of Brown Game
John Glatzel (Ellicott City, Md./Boys' Latin), Billy St. George (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) and Sol Bliss (Tully, N.Y./Tully) are back for their second straight season as SU's starting close defense unit. The trio, combined with starting goaltender Jay Pfeifer (Towson, Md./Gilman), helped hold Hobart to four goals, the lowest opponent scoring total of the season, just 10 days ago.
As a unit last season, the SU defense posted the lowest goals against average since 1988. The 128 goals Syracuse gave up in 2001 was the fewest since 1990 - when the team yielded just 124 goals in 13 games. The SU "D" - with Glatzel, St. George and Bliss - finished eighth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up a measly 8.00 goals per game. That was the lowest average a Syracuse defensive unit allowed since 1988 when the Orangemen gave up an average of 7.87 goals per game. Glatzel and St. George are three-year starters, while Bliss, who redshirted in 1999, is in his second season as a starter.
Glatzel, a 2001 first-team All-American, has been a finalist for the Defenseman of the Year award the past two seasons. He held Virginia's Conor Gill to just one goal on March 2, held Princeton's Ryan Boyle to just one assist and made a huge play at Brown, stripping Ryan Culligan of the ball which gave SU possession and allowed the Orangemen to come back and tie the game at 13-13 with 36 seconds remaining in regulation.
St. George earned honorable mention All-America laurels last year, and Bliss earned enough notice after last year's NCAA semifinals to earn preseason All-America accolades this year. Bliss shut down Notre Dame's leading scorer, Tom Glatzel, John's twin brother in the national semifinals. This season, Bliss had success against UVA's highly-touted rookie attackman John Christmas, who had just one goal against the Orangemen.
Bickel Wins 43-of-67 Faceoffs in Last Three Outings
Junior midfielder Chris Bickel (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) is SU's main face-off specialist so far this season and he seems to improve each week he plays. He has won 99-of-173 faceoffs, good for a percentage of .572, which ranks him 24th in the nation. In SU's last three outings, Bickel's success rate has risen to .642 as he has won 43-of-67 draws, including a career-high 21-of-30 performance at Brown last weekend. Bickel won the last five faceoffs against the Bears, including a critical draw in overtime. At Princeton, he won 14 of 22. He was impressive in the fourth quarter, winning the final five-straight draws to help SU gain possession. 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. 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 22-of-44 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.).
Solliday's Impact Felt at Brown - Notches 50th Career Goal in the Win
Senior midfielder Brian Solliday (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) was only supposed to see playing time on man-up situations against Brown because of sore ribs he still has from a hit he took in the Navy scrimmage on February 9. Solliday was asked to play more minutes by head coach John Desko when the Orangemen found themselves unable to shake the Brown Bears. Solliday finished with two goals and an assist in SU's 14-3 overtime win. He scored twice within the final five minutes. His first goal gave SU a 10-9 lead and his second, a man-up tally, gave the Orangemen an 11-10 advantage heading into the fourth period.
Solliday intercepted the ball on a Brown clear attempt with the seconds ticking away and the Orangemen trailing, 13-12. He found sophomore midfielder Sean Lindsay (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Lakeland-Panas) for the game-tying assist with 36 seconds remaining in regulation, which forced overtime and enabled SU to escape with a victory.
This season, Solliday is the team's fifth-leading scorer with 13 points (nine goals, four assists). He has four two-goal games on the year (vs. Army, Air Force, Johns Hopkins and Brown). He had a season-high four points (two goals, two assists) versus Air Force.
For his career, Solliday is the owner of 50 goals, 16 assists and 66 points.
