Syracuse University
#4 Johns Hopkins
Cardiac 'Cuse: Orange Rallies for 14-13 Overtime Win Against No. 4/4 Johns Hopkins
3/15/2008 2:30:11 PM | Men's Lacrosse
BALTIMORE, Md. – Senior Steven Brooks’ (Libertyville, Ill.) fourth goal of the contest came 37 seconds into overtime as No. 5/5 Syracuse (4-1) rallied for a thrilling 14-13 win against No. 4/4 Johns Hopkins (3-2) on Saturday at Homewood Field. The Orange scored the game’s final four goals en route to the come-from-behind victory versus the defending national champion Blue Jays. The triumph marked SU's first win at Johns Hopkins since 1998.
Senior attackman Mike Leveille (Delmar, N.Y.) collected six points on three goals and three assists. He extended his consecutive points streak to 44 games with an assist on Brooks’ first goal and it was his third six-point performance of the year. Leveille also continued his mastery of the Blue Jays. He has 24 points, including 16 goals, in five career games against Johns Hopkins.
Brooks' four goals Saturday tied his career high and his heroics marked the third time in three weeks the senior has come through in the clutch for the Orange. Against No. 3 Virginia on March 1, his goal with 28 seconds remaining in regulation forced overtime. Last week, against No. 12 Georgetown, Brooks’ tally with two seconds left in regulation tied the game and Syracuse eventually won in the second overtime. Saturday, his OT game-winner against the Blue Jays ended a 10-year victory drought for SU at Homewood Field.
It's the first time in school history the Orange have played three consecutive overtime games. The last time SU played three extra-session games in one season was in 1996.
Senior Danny Brennan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) was again a key cog in SU's success, winning the opening faceoff in overtime which eventually resulted in Brooks' game-winner. Brennan was 18-for-27 in the contest to spark SU to a 19-12 advantage at the X. Brennan won the final seven draws in the critical fourth period as he helped the Orange erase a three-goal deficit in the final eight minutes of regulation.
Trailing 13-10 in the fourth quarter, junior midfielder Matt Abbott (Syracuse, N.Y.) started the comeback with a fast-break score at the 7:49 mark. Classmate Dan Hardy (Tully, N.Y.) followed two minutes later, narrowing the Blue Jays’ edge to one at 13-12 with a shot from the right alley, and junior attackman Kenny Nims (Watertown, N.Y.) evened the score with 2:10 remaining off a dish from senior John Carrozza (Katonah, N.Y.).
It was the first time since midway through the first quarter the Orange and Blue Jays were equal on the scoreboard as SU trailed for most of the game for the second consecutive week.
The Orange had a chance to win it in regulation, but couldn't get off a clean shot after head coach John Desko called timeout with five seconds left.
Syracuse never allowed the Blue Jays to touch the ball in overtime as Brooks' game-winner came on the period's opening shot.
Johns Hopkins had built what looked to be a comfortable 13-10 margin following Stephen Peyser’s second goal of the game with 8:01 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Blue Jays also led by four, 6-2, in the second quarter, but the Orange offense rose to the challenge each time, including netting three straight goals at the end of the first half to pull within one, 6-5, at the break.
While SU's offense was the story, its defense also turned in some key plays and shut down Blue Jays' Player of the Year candidate Paul Rabil. Long poles Joel White (Cortland, N.Y.) and Sean McGonigle (Encinitas, Calif.) marked Rabil for much of the game and limited him to a goal and an assist.
White also made a game-altering play late in the fourth quarter. With SU down, 13-12, he stripped Rabil with a clean check then out-hustled the All-American for the loose ball and started the break that resulted in Nims' game-tying goal.
With Rabil bottled up, Kevin Huntley picked up some of his offensive slack and led the Blue Jays with four goals and an assist. Michael Kimmel also had a solid day for Johns Hopkins, finishing with a goal and three helpers.
Freshman Jovan Miller (Syracuse, N.Y.) saw alot of time on SU's second midfield line scored the first two goals of his career in the second half. Both of his goals sliced the Blue Jays' lead to one. His first came at the 13:04 mark of the third quarter and made the score 7-6. His second came with 12 seconds left in the third and cut the lead to 10-9.
Saturday's game marked the third time this season the Orange came back to win after trailing at the half. The victory also improved its record to 3-1 in one-goal games this year.
The Orange returns to the Carrier Dome on Saturday, March 22 to face in-state foe Binghamton at 3:30 p.m.
