Game Notes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Two of college lacrosse’s elite programs meet in their annual showdown when #16 Syracuse (3-4) takes on #7 Princeton (5-2) at Princeton Stadium at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, April 7. The Orange and Tigers have met 22 times and at least once every season since 1998. Ten of those pairings have come during the NCAA playoffs, and four of those contests decided the national championship. SU and Princeton clashed in three consecutive NCAA title tilts from 2000-02. Saturday's match is important for the Orange, which owns an overall record of 3-4 and could use a win against another top 10 opponent to strenghen its NCAA Tournament resume.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. Live streaming 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 LAST TIME OUT
Syracuse scored three goals in the span of 39 seconds to rally back from an 11-7 deficit with less than two minutes to play at Loyola, but Greyhounds goaltender Alex Peaty denied sophomore Kenny Nims’ point-blank chance as the final horn sounded to preserve the win. The 11-10 loss ended a five-game Orange winning streak against the Greyhounds.
Junior Mike Leveille paced the SU attack with a season-high five points (4g, 1a). Leveille tallied three of the Orange’s five goals in the first half and the performance extended his consecutive game points streak to 33. Nims registered four points in the contest, including a career-best three assists. Senior Danny Brennan won eight faceoff versus the Greyhounds, including four in a row to gain crucial possessions for the Orange during its last-minute rally.
SU MANS UP AGAINST LOYOLA
The Orange’s man-up came alive at Loyola on March 31. SU entered the game just 5-for-27 on its man-up chances (.185), but reeled off three goals with the man advantage in six chances to boost its season conversion rate to .242 (8-33). Middie Greg Rommel and attackman Mike Leveille registered consecutive man-up goals in the first quarter against the Greyhounds. Attackman Dan Hardy converted a man-up opportunity with 22 seconds to play in the game to produce final score (11-10). It was the first time this season the Orange has tallied multiple man-up scores in a game.
Rommel, Leveille and sophomore attackman Kenny Nims have been the Orange’s most potent threats in man-up situations. All three players are tied for the team lead in man-up scores with two apiece.
HALFTIME ADVANTAGE
The Orange has been tough to beat in 2007 when it takes the lead into the locker room at halftime. All three of SU’s wins have come when it holds the advantage at the intermission. Overall, SU is 3-1 this season when ahead at the half. It’s only only defeat came against Army on Feb. 23. Syracuse is 0-3 when its behind or the game is tied through two periods.
NIMS FINDS SCORING TOUCH
Sophomore attackman Kenny Nims have raised his level of play the last two games. Nims scored five points, including four goals to help the Orange knock off Binghamton, 16-10, on March 24. He followed it up with a four-point effort, including a personal-best three assists at Loyola on March 31. Nims is averaging 4.5 points per game in SU’s last two contests and he’s tied with junior Steven Brooks for third on the team with 16 points.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Coach Bill Tierney’s Tigers are built around defense. Princeton owns the third-best scoring defense in the nation, allowing 5.57 goals per game. The Tigers are just .13 goals per contest behind national leader Army (5.44). The anchor of the unit is 2006 first-team All-American goalie Alex Hewit. Hewit has been spectacular in the cage again this year. He ranks third in goals-against average (5.71) and is ninth in the country with a .615 save percentage. Hewit made 14 saves and allowed three goals in the Tigers’ most recent outing, versus Yale, to earn Ivy League Player of the Week honors.
In addition to Hewit, the Tigers’ defense features lock-down defenders Dan Cocoziello and Zach Jungers. Cocoziello was a second-team All-American a year ago and has started all seven games this season. He has 18 ground balls. Jungers was a third-team All-American in 2006. Like Cocoziello, he has started every game in 2007 and has 15 ground balls.
The Princeton offense is led by Tommy Davis and Peter Trombino. Davis, a sophomore attackman, is the club’s top scorers with 18 points. Trombino, a senior on the Tigers’ top attack unit, leads the team with 14 goals. He also has two assists for a total of 16 points, which ranks second on the team.
Tierney owns an overall record of 249-81 and is Division I’s winningest active coach by percentage (.755). He has led the Tigers to six NCAA titles in 19 years and also coached the United States at the World Lacrosse Championship. Tierney began his coaching career at nearby RIT in the early 1980’s then spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Johns Hopkins before taking over the reigns at Princeton in 1987.
THE SERIES AGAINST PRINCETON
The Orange has won the last four meetings with the Tigers and holds a 15-7 lead in the all-time series. Princton’s last win against the Orange came during the 2003 regular season.
The two times have met for the national championship four times. The Orange defeated the Tigers in 2000 and 2002 to win the title. Princeton knocked off the Orange in overtime in both 1992 and 2001 for the championship.
SU’s 15-14 loss to the Tigers in 1999 in four overtimes is the longest game in SU history since the institution of overtime in college lacrosse. 
