Familiar Foe Princeton Visits Dome in Men's Lacrosse Clash
3/21/2003 10:44:35 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Game Five: vs. No. 7 Princeton (1-2)
Sat., March 22, 1 p.m. - Carrier Dome - Turf - 49,550
Listen to the Game
Syracuse moved up one spot in this week's STX/USILA Division I Coaches Poll to No. 3, following a 15-14 victory against then No. 2-ranked Johns Hopkins last Saturday. The loss dropped the Blue Jays to No. 3 in the national rankings. The Orangemen are 3-1 on the season and take on a familiar opponent in Princeton, SU's foe in the NCAA championship game the past three seasons.
Princeton enters this contest with a 1-2 record and a No. 7 national ranking. The Tigers lost their first two games of the season to Johns Hopkins (10-8) and Virginia (10-7). Last weekend at Hofstra, Princeton recorded its first victory of 2003 with an 18-5 thrashing of the Pride.
This will be the 18th meeting between Syracuse and Princeton in men's lacrosse. The Orangemen own an 11-6 advantage in the all-time series. SU has won six of the last seven meetings, including two meetings last season. Princeton's last victory came in the 2001 national championship game, a 10-9 overtime decision.
On the Air
Radio
SU's games will be broadcast on the school's flagship radio station for lacrosse, ESPN Radio 1260 AM. Kyle Fetterly, Roy Simmons Jr. and Matt Park call the action. The games can be heard through the internet at www.suathletics.com. WAER FM 88 also broadcasts all the games, led by sports director Anish Shroff.
Television
All SU home lacrosse games will be shown on a tape-delayed basis on Time Warner 13 in the Syracuse area. Dale Drypolcher returns as the color analyst, while Doug Wright will handle play-by-play duties. This week's Syracuse-Princeton game will air Sunday, March 23, at 4 p.m., on channel 13.
Familiar Foes - Take Your Pick - Syracuse or Princeton - Two Premier Programs
Syracuse and Princeton have combined to win 13 of the last 15 national championships.
In 2002, Syracuse and Princeton faced off in the national championship game for the fourth time ever and third consecutive year. It was only the second time in NCAA history that the same two teams met in the championship game three straight years. SU was also involved the last time it happened, taking on Johns Hopkins in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
The series between the Orangemen and the Tigers in championship games is now tied at 2-2. Syracuse defeated Princeton, 13-12, in 2002. The Tigers won a 10-9 overtime decision in 2001 and a 10-9 double overtime match in 1992. Syracuse's first victory against Princeton in an NCAA final was a 13-7 triumph in 2000.
Powell Named Inside Lacrosse/Warrior Division I National Player of the Week
Junior attackman Michael Powell was named the Inside Lacrosse/Warrior Division I National Player of the Week on March 17. Powell matched his career high for points in a game with eight against then No. 2-ranked Johns Hopkins last Saturday. He scored four goals and had four assists in the Orangemen's 15-14 victory. He had a hand in each of the three goals Syracuse scored in the 19-second spurt at the end of the first half, which shifted the entire game's momentum into SU's favor.
"For me, that's why I play lacrosse," said Powell after the Hopkins win. "That little rush right there. That's probably the closest I'll get to being a rock star."
Six-Goal Deficit in the Hopkins Game Equaled Largest Since 1998
Syracuse found itself trailing Johns Hopkins by six goals last Saturday (8-2 in the second quarter). It was the Orangemen's largest deficit since May 16, 1998 in the NCAA quarterfinals against Virginia. In that game, SU trailed 14-8 with 9:35 remaining in the third quarter before coming back to win, 17-14.
In 1999, SU's largest deficit was five goals at the hands of Georgetown. The Orangemen trailed 15-10 and went on to lose a final decision of 17-13. Since that game, SU has posted a 4-2 record in games when it has trailed at some point by four goals or more.
Syracuse vs. The Ivy League
The Orangemen are 158-47-2 all-time against teams from the Ivy League -- good for a winning percentage of .768. This will be SU's first game against an Ivy League team this season. After Princeton, the Orangemen will meet Brown on March 29, and Cornell on April 8. Last season, Syracuse posted a 4-1 record against teams from the Ivy League. Its only loss was a 15-11 decision at Cornell.
Since 1990, Syracuse has posted a 50-8 record against teams from the Ivy League.
Cornell is the Ivy League team with the most wins against Syracuse (31). The Big Red have played the Orangemen more times than any other Ivy League school (86).
Orange Career Performances vs. Princeton
Liam Banks 12-9=21
Michae Powell 10-7=17
Michael Springer 10-3=13
Sean Lindsay 2-3=5
Pat Hogan 2-0=2
Jarett Park 2-0=2
Mike Smith 1-1=2
Bill Perritt 1-0=1
Steve Vallone 1-0=1
Brian Nee 0-1=1
Jay Pfeifer 22 saves, 20 goals against, .524 save percentage, 10.00 goals against average
Chris Bickel 31-of-51 faceoffs, .608 career face-off winning percentage against Princeton
Springer Nearing Top Five in Career Goals
Senior attackman Michael Springer is on pace to finish his career as one of the top three goal scorers in school history. He has averaged 2.60 goals per game during his career. He is currently seventh with 135 career goals. He needs three more goals to surpass Ryan Powell (137 goals) and move into sixth place.
Powell's Four Assists Versus Hopkins Puts Him Over 90 for His Career
Junior attackman Michael Powell already ranks eighth all-time in assists at SU with 91. Ahead of him in seventh place is Jamie Archer with 108 career assists.
Springer Moves into Tie for 14th on School's All-Time Scoring List
Senior Michael Springer and junior Michael Powell are climbing the all-time scoring list at Syracuse. Here is where they rank on the career points list.
Syracuse University Career Points (Since 1967)
1. 287 (158-129) Casey Powell 1995-98
287 (137-150) Ryan Powell 1997-00
3. 282 (124-158) Tim O'Hara 1977-80
4. 271 (84-187) Tim Nelson 1983-85
5. 267 (109-158) John Zulberti 1986-89
6. 258 (182-76) Tom Marechek 1989-92
7. 253 (192-61) Gary Gait 1987-90
8. 246 (125-121) Rob Kavovit 1993-97
9. 228 (155-73) Tom Korrie 1983-86
10. 212 (127-85) Paul Gait 1987-90
11. 205 (129-76) Brad Kotz 1982-85
12. 204 (142-62) Tom Abbott 1975-78
13. 194 (118-76) Josh Coffman 1999-2002
14. 192 (135-57) MICHAEL SPRINGER 2000-present
192 (84-108) Jamie Archer 1990-93
16. 189 (104-85) Tom Nelson 1984-87
17. 176 (106-70) Jim Morrissey 1993-96
18. 173 (82-91) MICHAEL POWELL 2001-present
19. 166 (128-38) Matt Riter 1990-93
20. 163 (124-39) Roy Colsey 1992-95
21. 161 (106-55) Matt Cutia 1996-99
22. 155 (87-68) Brad Short 1979-82
23. 153 (82-71) Randy Lundblad 1981-84
24. 152 (97-55) Charlie Lockwood 1991-94
25. 148 (93-55) Todd Curry 1984-87John Desko 58-12 in Fifth Season as Head Coach
John Desko is at the helm of the Syracuse lacrosse program for his fifth season in 2003. His 58-12 record speaks for itself.Desko has been a part of all eight championship seasons at SU. He has led the Orangemen to title-game appearances in each of his four seasons as head coach, the only Division I men's coach to do so. Syracuse is 2-2 in championship games under Desko. His teams have won nearly 83 percent of their games during the past five years, and are 11-2 in the postseason.
Last season, Desko led the team to a 15-2 mark, a 20th consecutive appearance in the NCAA semifinals, a national crown and four-straight one-goal wins at the end of the year.
Since he accepted the head coaching reigns, Syracuse has had 17 players earn All-America honors. Four of those Orangemen were singled out for player of the year accolades.
He and his staff have achieved success by scheduling the nation's toughest competition and coming out on top in those games. Since he took over in 1999, Syracuse is 22-7 against top 10 teams.
Desko's first national championship as head coach came in 2000, his second year on the job. It was the school's first title since 1995. The 2000 squad finished with a 15-1 record (the best finish since 1988), and an 18th-consecutive appearance in the final four.
A year earlier, Desko became the third head coach in Division I history to reach the NCAA title game in just his first year at the helm. It was the first time a No. 8 seed ever reached the national semifinals and finals.
This year, Desko will serve his fourth term as a member of the NCAA Lacrosse Committee, a group that oversees and regulates rules, championships and other issues pertinent to the sport.
Crockett Emerges as Team's Third-Leading Scorer
Syracuse has a potent "wild card" player this year in freshman Brian Crockett. He has emerged as a scoring threat from both the midfield and attack positions, despite not starting in a single game. The SU coaches say he is a player who MUST be on the field.Crockett is tied as the team's third-leading scorer behind Springer and Powell with 11 points (eight goals, three assists). He scored three goals and had one assist in wins against Army and Fairfield. He tallied a goal late in the game against Virginia, which pulled the Orangemen within a goal (15-14), and set up Springer's game-tying marker. Crockett is dangerous because he is a skilled dodger and he can feed. He had a goal and an assist against Hopkins last week.
Park Second on the Team in Ground Balls
Last season in lacrosse, Jarett Park led the team in groundballs with 91. He also finished eighth on the squad in scoring with 14 points (nine goals, five assists). This year, Park, a sophomore, is a member of SU's first midfield line. He has one goal, one assist and is second with 18 groundballs.Nee Ties Career High Against Johns Hopkins with Four Points
Junior starting attackman Brian Nee has scored at least one point in Syracuse's last 15 games. The last time he was shut out of the point column was March 23, 2002, at Princeton. Since that game, Nee has contributed 33 points (24 goals). He recorded his seventh career hat trick against Johns Hopkins last week and tied his personal-best with four points (3-1) versus the Blue Jays. For his career, Nee owns 46 goals, 12 assists and 58 points.Syracuse 18-3 with Pfeifer Starting in Goal
Sophomore goaltender Jay Pfeifer has started Syracuse's first four games of the season. He has been the Orangemen's starting goalie the past 21 outings, as he started in all 17 games a year ago.So far this season, Pfeifer has saved 43 shots. He recorded 14 saves in each of the first two games against Army and Virginia. He only allowed seven goals at Army. He had two saves against Fairfield and made 13 saves against Johns Hopkins.
The 16 goals given up by Pfeifer in the loss to Virginia marked the most goals he allowed since April 9, 2002, when Cornell scored 15 times. So far this season, Pfeifer has faced 134 shots. He owns a .518 save percentage and an 11.01 goals against average.
Pfeifer reached a milestone in the Virginia game when he recorded his 200th career save. He now owns 218 career stops.
10,536 Attended the Virginia Game - SU 134-12 All-Time at the Dome
The setback to Virginia on March 1, was Syracuse's first loss at home since March 17, 2001, when Johns Hopkins posted an 11-10 victory against the Orangemen.SU finished a perfect 5-0 at home last season. The Orangemen are 19-2 playing at home since the 2000 season began.
Overall, the team owns a record of 134-12 (.918) at the Carrier Dome. The first season the Orangemen began playing under the white bubble was 1981.
Syracuse had 10,536 fans in attendance at its March 1st game against Virginia, the largest crowd for lacrosse since 10,924 showed up for the Princeton game in 2001.
Lindsay Leads Orangemen with Four Man-Up Goals
Junior starting midfielder Sean Lindsay is tied as SU's second-leading goal scorer so far this season with Michael Powell. Both players have 10 goals through four games. Overall, Lindsay is fifth on the team in scoring with 10 points. He leads the team with four man-up goals.Lindsay has already surpassed his 2002 goal total. He had nine goals in 17 games last year. Coming into this season, Lindsay had 11 career goals.
He exploded for a career-high four goals in the season opener against Army. He tallied twice against Virginia, once against Fairfield, and three times against Johns Hopkins.
Lindsay has scored a goal in Syracuse's last six games, dating back to last year's final four. During championship weekend, Lindsay netted goals against Virginia in the semifinals and Princeton in the championship.
His career totals are 21 goals, six assists and 27 points.
Bickel Steps It Up for Orangemen at Face-off X
A big key to SU's victory against Johns Hopkins was the play of senior midfielder Chris Bickel at the face-off X. Bickel won 19 of 33 draws against the Blue Jays (nearly 58 percent), helping to supply his team with plenty of offensive opportunities. During the Orangemen's comeback in the second and third quarters, he won 11 of 16 faceoffs.The 33 faceoffs Bickel lined up for against JHU were the most he has attempted during his career at SU. He has been the Orangemen's primary face-off man the past two seasons.
Bickel even got involved in the offense against Johns Hopkins. He won a faceoff at the start of the fourth quarter and passed off to Michael Powell on his left for a goal that put SU ahead, 11-9, with 14:55 remaining in the game. It was Bickel's first assist of the season and second of his career.
He leads the team in groundballs with 20.
Bontaites Makes Smooth Transition to Long-Stick Midfielder Position
Senior Matt Bontaites is in his first season as a long-stick midfielder after playing his first three seasons at SU with a short stick. Bontaites has been tough and disciplined on defense for the Orangemen, often assigned to cover one of the opposing team's top midfielders. He collected six groundballs in the win against Johns Hopkins. He has not been called for a penalty yet this season.As a sophomore, Bontaites led the team with 84 groundballs. He has 10 so far this year.
Man-Up Unit Looking to Get Back on Track; 5-for-18 in Last Two Games
The SU man-up unit was out on the field a season-high 12 times against Fairfield and scored four times. Against Johns Hopkins, the Orangemen were 1-for-6. Syracuse led the nation in man-up offense last season with a .474 success rate (36-for-76).The Orangemen are 5-for-18 (28%) on the EMO during their last two outings. In its first two games, SU enjoyed a .538 success rate, connecting seven times on its first 13 attempts.
With attackmen Michael Powell, Michael Springer, Brian Nee, Alex Zink and midfielders Sean Lindsay and Steve Vallone, Syracuse has connected for goals 12 times on 31 attempts. Lindsay leads the team with four man-up goals.
Junior Attackman Zink Finds Niche on Team
Junior attckman Alex Zink has carved out a niche for himself on this year's team. A 6-foot, three-inch left-handed shooter, Zink is a key figure on the Syracuse man-up unit. He is seventh in scoring this season with a career-high six points (three goals, three assists). He has one man-up goal, and has seen his minutes out on the field during 31 man-up opportunities spread out over four games.Coming into this year, Zink had only one career goal (vs. Air Force, 2002).
His twin brother, Lee Zink, is a starting close defenseman for No. 2-ranked Maryland.
Syracuse Averaging 16 Goals Per Game
The Orangemen, long known for their prowess and love for the up-tempo, high-scoring style of lacrosse, are at it once again. SU is averaging 16 goals per game and has totaled 64 goals in its first four contests.Syracuse has scored 15 goals in three games this year (Army, Virginia, Johns Hopkins). The Orangemen have three games with 10 assists (Army, Fairfield and Johns Hopkins).
Syracuse Raises NCAA Championship Banners in the Dome
More than 150 Syracuse lacrosse alumni were in attendance March 15th for a reunion celebration that paid tribute to the 20-year anniversary of the 1983 Orangemen, the first SU squad to win an NCAA championship. The 1983 team was recognized on the field before the start of the Syracuse vs. Johns Hopkins game. At that time, the 1983 NCAA championship banner was hoisted in the east endzone of the Carrier Dome. At halftime, the remaining seven NCAA championship banners were unveiled. They will hang permanently in the east endzone.Among the other highlights of the day included an alumni game in the morning and a dinner reception at night.
Nearly every member of the 1983 team made it back to SU for the reunion, including captains Darren Lawlor, Mark Wenham, Jeff McCormick and Art Lux. Hall of Fame midfielder Brad Kotz and All-American Tim Nelson were also in attendance.
