Top Five Powers Collide when #5 Syracuse Meets #4 Johns Hopkins Saturday
3/13/2008 1:18:34 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Game Notes (.pdf)
Orange All Acess
BALTIMORE, Md. - Two of the most storied programs in college lacrosse renew their annual rivalry on Saturday, March 15 when #5/5 Syracuse invades Homewood Field for a 12 p.m. matchup with Johns Hopkins. It marks the 26th consecutive season the two schools have met at least once dating back to 1983.
The Orange and Blue Jays are tied for the most Division I lacrosse championships by any program with each winning nine. The programs also list No. 1 and No. 2 in all-time NCAA Tournament wins. The Blue Jays own 57 NCAA victories, while the Orange have 53 postseason triumphs to its credit.
Both teams are coming off overtime encounters. The Orange needed a pair of extra sessions to dispatch Georgetown, 9-8, at the Carrier Dome on March 9, while the Blue Jays were dealt their first loss of the season at Hofstra, 8-7, in overtime on March 8. Both clubs enter this week’s showdown with identical 3-1 records.
Orange fans can follow the action on the Syracuse Radio Network. Brian and Kyle Fetterly will have the call on TK-99.5 FM. Live streaming audio can be found on SUathletics.com via Orange All Access In addition, Saturday's game will be televised live on ESPNU.
A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER
The two schools have also waged several epic battles, including four with the championship on the line during the 1980’s (1983, 1984, 1985, 1989). Hopkins is SU’s most familiar postseason foe. The Orange is 7-4 against the Blue Jays in the NCAA Tournament, including a 17-16 win in 1983 to claim its first NCAA crown.
BEST IN THE NATIONSyracuse leads the country in faceoff winning percentage. The Orange has won 68 percent of its draws on the year (68-100) and has held the advantage in faceoff wins in each of its first four games. That dominance was never more evident than it was against Georgetown on March 9. Syracuse won 17 of game’s 21 faceoffs and defeated the Hoyas, 9-8, in double overtime.
Senior
Danny Brennan has been the Orange’s catalyst at the X. He leads the nation in faceoff winning percentage at .727. He has 64 of SU’s 68 faceoff wins (.941) in 2008 and is 64-for-88 on the season. By himself, Brennan has more wins than 25 of the top 30 teams ranked by the NCAA in faceoff winning percentage (as of March 9).LEVEILLE LOVES HOPKINS
Senior captain Mike Leveille
A FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC
Brooks lists third on the squad this season in scoring (10 points) and is second on the team with five assists. He tied his career high with three assists in SU’s season opening win against Villanova.
SCOUTING THE BLUE JAYS
Coached by Dave Pietramala, who is regarded as one of the top defenders in the history of the sport, it’s no surprise that the Blue Jays are known for their defense. Johns Hopkins enters this weekend sporting a 7.43 goals-against average. Senior Matt Bocklet (16 ground balls) is in his second season as a starter on close defense. He is joined by 2007 honorable mention All-American Michael Evans and graduate student Eric Zerrlaut. Matt Drenan is the Blue Jays’ top long-stick defensive midfielder. Sophomore goalie Michael Gvozden has 41 saves and has played every minute in the cage thus far.
Their offense is led by first-team All-American Paul Rabil and senior attackman Kevin Huntley. Rabil won the MacLaughlin Award as the country’s top midfielder as a junior last year and is tied for second on the team with 11 points in 2008. Huntley leads the Blue Jays with 10 goals and 13 points. Five of Huntley’s scores came in a 14-9 win against Princeton in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic. Attackman Steven Boyle also has 11 points (7 goals, 4 assists). Middie Stephen Peyser has won 61.4 percent of his faceoffs and has contributed five goals.
THE SYRACUSE-JOHNS HOPKINS SERIES
The Blue Jays hold the overall series advantage, 26-17-1, but the Orange has won seven of the 11 meetings in the NCAA Tournament. SU's longest winning streak in the series is three (1986-88).
