Syracuse University
Albany
Men's Lacrosse Survives Albany in Overtime, 14-13
4/21/2006 10:23:40 PM | Men's Lacrosse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Senior attackman Brett Bucktooth scored his career-high fifth goal of the game with 2:20 remaining in overtime to give the No. 9-ranked Syracuse University men's lacrosse team a 14-13 victory against Albany at the Carrier Dome. It was SU's fifth-straight win and third consecutive contest decided by a single goal. The Orange won in overtime last Saturday at Rutgers, 13-12.
The fact that this game went to overtime after Syracuse owned leads of 6-0 (54 seconds into the second quarter) and 13-7 (with 9:07 remaining in the fourth quarter) is a credit to Albany. Syracuse senior attackman Joe Yevoli scored all four of his goals within the game's first 23 minutes. His second tally, which gave SU a 5-0 lead with 5:33 remaining in the first quarter, marked his 100th career goal.
All three Orange attackmen reached personal milestones in this game. Bucktooth and sophomore attackman Mike Leveille each recorded their 50th career goals. Leveille tied his career-high by dishing out a game-best four assists. He assisted on Yevoli's fourth goal which gave Syracuse a 7-2 lead at 7:46 of the second quarter. Senior defensive midfielder Nathan Kenney pushed the Orange lead back to six goals, 8-2, with a jump shot to the upper left corner with 7:32 left in the period.
Steve Ammann registered Albany's first goal at 11:25 of the second quarter. Derek Dale netted two of his team-high three goals in the second quarter to help bring the Great Danes to within 8-4 at halftime. Sophomore midfielder Jordan Levine assisted on Dale's second goal, a 12-yard shot, and then took it to the cage himself with 55 seconds remaining in the first half.
In the third quarter, both teams scored two goals. Albany cut the lead to 9-6 with goals by Frank Resetarits and Matthew Green. An unnecessary roughness penalty called on Albany's Dan Barnes (he collided with SU junior midfielder Craig Hammond near midfield) with 2:43 remaining in the period led to an unsportsmanlike penalty on head coach Scott Marr. At the same time, the coach was whistled for being in the box. The Great Danes were assessed a two-minute non-releasable penalty and the Orange capitalized with a man-up goal to go ahead, 10-6.
Syracuse upped its advantage to 12-6 and held a 13-7 lead with 9:07 left to play in the fourth quarter after Bucktooth scored twice and senior Brian Crockett got in on the action. From there, it was all about Albany's comeback.
The Great Danes rattled off six-straight goals, culminating in Dale's game-tying score off an assist from Merrick Thomson with 2:17 remaining in regulation. Corey Small provided three goals during the run, including back-to-back man-up tallies at the 8:07 and 5:12 marks.
Albany won the faceoff after Dale's tying goal and called timeout with 2:04 left to play. The Syracuse defense got a big stop when junior defenseman Steve Panarelli stripped Dale of the ball with about a minute to go. Now it was the Orange's turn to call timeout. The offense took a peek at what Albany was giving them and decided to use another timeout with 18 seconds left. Crockett drove hard to the goal, but was whistled for stepping in the crease.
In overtime, the Great Danes won the faceoff and called timeout with 3:40 on the clock. Out of the huddle, Albany's Jim Stankard took a quick shot that was saved by SU redshirt freshman goaltender Peter Coluccini. It was one of his 17 saves on the night and marked his third overtime denial in two games.
The Orange was headed the other way. Yevoli, who had the hot hand most of the night, got the ball in his stick and dodged his way to the cage. When Bucktooth's defender slid, he dumped the ball off to Bucktooth who only had Albany goalie Brett Queener to beat. Bucktooth was pushed from behind into the crease as his shot found its way into the back of the net. The officials ruled he had been pushed into the crease and the goal stood as the game-winner.
It was Bucktooth's fifth hat trick of the season. He has now scored at least three goals in each of Syracuse's last four games.
Queener finished with nine saves and had an assist on Albany's seventh goal. The Great Danes are 6-6 on the season.
The 6-4 Orange remain at home to face No. 8-ranked Massachusetts in its next game on Saturday, April 29, at 2 p.m. It will be Senior Day at the Carrier Dome. The Minutemen were responsible for knocking the Orange out of last year's NCAA Tournament in the first round.
