Syracuse University
#5 Princeton
Men's Lacrosse Scores 10 Second-Half Goals to Beat No. 5 Princeton, 14-12
3/27/2004 5:48:22 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Click here for complete boxscore
Senior Kevin Dougherty scored a career-high four goals and Syracuse maximized contributions from its midfielders on its way to a 14-12 victory against No. 5-ranked Princeton in front of 6,186 at Class of 1952 Stadium in Princeton, N.J. Syracuse improved its season record to to 4-1, while Princeton dropped to 3-2.
The Orangemen overcame a 7-2 second-quarter deficit by winning faceoffs, getting goals from midfielders and saving Princeton shots. Geoff Keough and Jarett Park did most of the work gaining critical possessions in order to mount the comeback and then take the lead. Dougherty, Steve Vallone, Greg Rommel, Sean Lindsay and Steve Lykudis accounted for eight of SU's 10 second-half goals. Junior Jay Pfeifer played the entire game in goal and finished with 11 saves.
Jason Doneger helped the Tigers to an early 5-1 lead with three first-half goals. After Ryan Boyle scored with 3:58 remaining in the second quarter to give Princeton a 7-2 lead (their largest of the day), Tiger shooters hit two consecutive pipes on shots and from there it seemed the momentum shifted Syracuse's way.
Michael Powell kept the Orangemen within three at halftime, by dishing off one of his game-high four assists to Brian Nee at the 3:08 mark and then scoring one himself with 1:03 left in the half to pull SU to within 7-4.
Princeton tallied the first goal of the third quarter, but SU chipped away at their lead. Zink, Dougherty, Vallone and Rommel each put away passes from Powell during the comeback run. Nee tied the game at 9-9 with a nifty back-handed flip while diving to the turf thanks to a Park groundball that led to an assist with 2:29 left. Drew Casino hit an outside shot with 1:06 left in the period to give PU a 10-9 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Dougherty's third goal was a 15-yard outside shot that tied the contest at 10-10. Princeton's Mac Bryson once again put the Tigers up one (11-10) with his first goal of the game at the 12:07 mark.
The Orangemen then scored four-straight goals to take command of the game. Dougherty tied it at 11-11 and LIndsay curled around the goal to give SU its first lead of the game at 12-11 with 7:11 remaining in the contest. Lindsay scored again at the 5:31 mark and Lykudis netted just his second goal of the season with a hard, running outside shot from the right side with 4:22 left to play.
Syracuse tried to play keep away from Princeton to run out the clock. Boyle managed to find the back of the net for the third time of the afternoon wiht 3:06 left.
For the game, SU won 21 of 29 faceoffs. The Orangemen outshot Princeton, 43-34. With two goals and four assists, Powell tied his brother Casey for fifth place on the school's all-time assists list (129 career assists).
Syracuse returns home to take on Hobart at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 30.
