Watch the Game Live
Listen to the Game Live
Live Stats
Game Notes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Orange (2-3) looks to rebound from its St. Patrick’s Day loss to Johns Hopkins when it hosts Binghamton at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 24 in the Carrier Dome. The game marks the first meeting between the two schools. The Bearcats are the only first-time opponent on SU’s 2007 slate.
Saturday's game will be televised live locally on Time Warner Sports 26. Live streaming video and audio of the contest can be found on SUathletics.com via Orange All Access and fans can also tune in to the Syracuse ISP Sports Network radio broadcast on WNSS (1260 AM).
The contest represents Orange head coach John Desko’s second try at his 100th career win. Johns Hopkins spoiled Desko’s first bid at the milestone with a 17-9 victory over the Orange on March 17. Hopkins’ win versus the Orange was the 99th in the career of Blue Jays’ mentor Dave Pietramala, vaulting him into a tie with Desko in the race to 100. Both coaches own identical 99-32 marks heading into this weekend's action. The Blue Jays host Virginia on Saturday at Homewood Field. If both teams win, Desko and Pietramala will become the fastest active head coaches to the 100-career win plateau. Princeton head coach Bill Tierney is currently the quickest active coach to reach the mark, achieving the feat in 141 games.
LEVEILLE’S CONSECUTIVE GAMES POINT STREAK AMONG NATION’S BEST
Junior Mike Leveille has notched at least one point in 31 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in Division I behind Canisius’ Kevin Ross, Navy’s Nick Mirabito, and Frank Resetaris of Albany. The only time Leveille has failed to register at least one point in his career was in the second game of his rookie year (vs. Virginia) on March 5, 2005 - a span of more than two years. Leveille has notched multiple points 29 times during the streak and 106 of his 108 career points have come during this stretch.
Sophomore Dan Hardy also boasts a double-digit scoring streak. Hardy has at least one point in the last 11 games dating back to April 21, 2006 against Albany. Hardy’s streak is tied for the 25th-longest in Division I lacrosse.
Hardy, Leveille, and graduate student midfielder Greg Rommel are the only SU players record at least one point in every game this season.
BROOKS GETTING OFFENSIVE
Junior midfielder Steven Brooks is returning to the form he displayed before suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2006. Brooks has scored seven goals SU’s last two games. He exploded for a career-best four goals to lead the Orange past Georgetown on March 10 and found the net three times versus Johns Hopkins on March 17. Brooks’ four goals against the Hoyas is the most for an SU player this year and eclipsed his previous personal best of three set against Hobart and Cornell in 2005. He followed it up with a four-point performance against the Blue Jays (3g, 1a). It’s the first time in his career he has registered consecutive hat tricks.
Brooks is tied with Dan Hardy for the team lead in goals with 10.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Binghamton hasn’t taken the field in 14 days as its March 17 contest against Sacred Heart was cancelled due to inclement weather. In their last time out, on March 10, the Bearcats posted their first win of the season with an 11-4 victory against Marist in their home opener. Binghamton lost is first three games of the year, all on the road.
Binghamton’s offense has struggled this season. The Bearcats enter today’s game averaging just 5.5 goals per outing. The only time Binghamton has topped the five-goal mark this year was in its 11-4 decision against the Red Foxes. The Bearcats own a shooting percentage of .198 and are averaging 27.8 attempts per contest. Binghamton has just two first-quarter goals all season.
Two rookies have paced the Bearcats’ offense in 2007. Freshman attack Drew Wichmann and rookie middie Steve Carlson lead the team with four goals apiece, and Wichmann is Binghamton’s leading scorer with eight points. Five of Wichmann’s points (3g, 2a) came in the Bearcats’ win against Marist.
Larry Kline is Binghamton’s top goaltender. He has 45 saves through four games and owns a 9.51 goals-against average. He has surrendered a total of 37 goals and has a .549 save percentage.
Ed Stephenson is Binghamton’s only coach in the six-year history of the program. He has a 27-42 overall record. He previously served as an assistant coach at Hobart and UMBC. Stephenson completed a standout playing career at Towson in 1989 and is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. Last season, he led the Bearcats to perhaps the biggest win in school history, a 7-6 double overtime decision, against his alma mater, which was ranked No. 8 at the time. In 2004, Binghamton went 6-0 in America East play and Stephenson was selected as the league’s Coach of the Year. 
