.png)
Syracuse University
#15 Princeton
3/26/2005 3:27:43 PM | Men's Lacrosse
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Freshman attackman Mike Leveille (Delmar, N.Y.) scored three goals to help the No. 8-ranked Syracuse University men's lacrosse team to a 10-8 victory against Princeton at Class of 1952 Stadium. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Orange and improved the team's season record to 2-3. It was the third-straight win for SU in the all-time series with Princeton. The Orange has now won five of the last six meetings with the Tigers. It was the fourth-straight loss for No. 15-ranked Princeton (0-4).
Both teams got off to a slow start, mostly hampered by turnovers. The game's first goal was not scored until 42 seconds remained in the first quarter. SU junior midfielder Greg Rommel (Syracuse, N.Y.) used a roll dodge to attack the cage and sent a shot to the off-stick side of Princeton goaltender Matthew Larkin.
In the second period, both teams scored twice. The Tigers tied it 1-1 when Mike Gaudio found Scott Sowanick at the 7:59 mark. Leveille, who had his second-straight hat trick of the season (he scored five goals last week against Johns Hopkins), tallied his first goal of the afternoon with a drive middle and a shot over his left shoulder at 6:29. Junior attackman Brian Crockett (Yorktown, N.Y.) put SU ahead 3-1 when he caught a feed from Brett Bucktooth (Onondaga Nation, N.Y.) and sent a low shot past Larkin. PU's Zach Goldberg slashed through the Syracuse defense and scored Princeton's second goal with 1:33 remaining in the second quarter. The Orange led 3-2 at halftime.
The action picked up in the third quarter. Peter Trombino came out firing for Princeton. The sophomore attackman netted three-straight goals to turn the tables and put the Tigers on top, 5-3, by the 11:52 mark. Leveille and senior midfielder Jake Plunket (Cortland, N.Y.) recorded back-to-back goals for SU and the scored was tied 5-5 with 8:17 remaining in the third quarter.
Tripp Shriner converted a pass from Scott Sowanick on a Princeton man-up opportunity at the 7:19 mark, and that would be the last lead for Princeton during the remainder of the game. SU erased the 6-5 deficit by going on a 5-0 run. Leveille tied the contest (6-6) with 1:24 remaining in the third period with a left-handed drive. The clincher may have been sophomore midfielder Steven Brooks' (Libertyville, Ill.) outside shot that seemed to be stopped by Larkin, but trickled through his legs and into the goal. That score gave the Orange a 7-6 advantage with 1.3 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Freshman Greg Niewieroski (Watertown, N.Y.) was installed at attack, while Bucktooth moved to the midfield. The rookie registered his first collegiate goal off a roll dodge at 12:13 of the fourth quarter. It put SU ahead, 8-6. Rommel and Brooks each scored goals in the fourth quarter for Syracuse. Brooks gave Syracuse its largest lead of the day (10-6) with 9:48 remaining in the contest. Princeton got two more goals, one from Whitney Hayes at the 8:27 mark and one from Mike Gaudio with 3:17 left on the clock.
Larkin, who was making his first career start in goal for Princeton, finished with 13 saves. Senior Jay Pfeifer (Towson, Md.) had five saves. He moved into fourth place on SU's all-time saves list, surpassing Rob Mulligan (1998-01) with his 627 career saves.
Crockett's goal in the second quarter marked his 100th career point. He has 70 goals and 30 assists to his credit at Syracuse.
Rommel has now scored two goals in each of SU's last four games.
The Orange will next be in action on Tuesday, March 29, at No. 14-ranked Hobart. The 7 p.m. game will be televised LIVE by Time Warner Sports on channel 26.
