SU Retains Kraus-Simmons Trophy

Tuesday, March 24

Syracuse, NY

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

#17 Hobart

Senior Spencer Van Schaack celebrates SU's win against Hobart Tuesday. The Orange retained the Kraus-Simmons Trophy for the third straight year.

3/24/2009 9:49:42 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score | Photos | Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a game that featured the nation's highest-scoring offense and the country's stingiest defense, Syracuse's potent attack prevailed as the second-ranked Orange (6-1) defeated No. 17 Hobart, 13-4, on Tuesday, March 24 at the Carrier Dome.

The Orange retained the Kraus-Simmons Trophy, which has been awarded to the Syracuse-Hobart winner every year since 1986, for the third straight year. It marked the 22nd time in the 24 seasons since the trophy has been presented that the Orange defeated its Central New York rival.

Hobart (5-2) entered the game with a 5.33 goals-against average, but the Orange's balanced attack was too much for the Statesmen. Syracuse's 13 goals Tuesday were just two less than the combined total (15) of Hobart's last three opponents – Bucknell, Georgetown and Rutgers – and the Orange put up nine goals in the first-half, one more than the Statesmen allowed in any of its first six games.

Senior attackman Kenny Nims led the way for Syracuse with six points (2g, 4a). Sophomore attackman Stephen Keogh finished with four goals, one short of his career high, and senior midfielder Pat Perritt tallied a career-best four points, including tying his personal best for the second consecutive game with two assists.

It looked like it would be a close contest at the outset as the Statesmen's defense was as good as advertised for the most of the first quarter. Hobart held the Orange scoreless until the 3:14 mark of the opening period when Nims found senior Greg Niewieroski for the game's first goal.

Niewieroski's score energized the Orange and Syracuse ripped off three more goals in the span of 3:05 as part of an overall 9-0 run to take control of the game. Nims and senior midfielder Dan Hardy each had a goal and two assists in the scoring spree which featured eight different goal scorers. The only player with more than one goal in the run was Keogh, who scored with 9:26 left in the opening half and again with 5:47 left before intermission.

While the Orange blitzed Hobart offensively, the Syracuse defense continued its dominating play. Saturday against Binghamton, the Orange held the Bearcats without a goal for the final 28:33 and did not surrender a goal to the Statesmen until Tyler Cassell found the cage with 1:24 left in the second quarter – a span of more than 57 minutes.

Hobart's Jeff Colburn tacked on a pair of goals in the third quarter to cut the Orange to six, 9-3, but SU responded with a four-goal run that featured two more Keogh scores to eliminate any hope of a Statesmen rally.

The Orange outshot Hobart, 49-26, for the game and owned a 25-10 margin in shots in the first half. Syracuse also continued its success with the extra man, converting on three of its four man-up chances Tuesday to boost its Division I-leading extra-man efficiency rate to .667 (14-21).

Colburn's two goals led the Statesmen. Hobart goalie Max Siberlicht played the entire game and finished with 15 saves.

SU sophomore goaltender John Galloway allowed just three goals in 52:18 of action. He made eight saves. Junior Al Cavalieri played the final 7:42 and stopped one shot.

The Orange will play its third game in the span of seven days when it travels to No. 15 Loyola on Saturday, March 28. Faceoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field. The game will air live nationally on ESPNU and locally on WMAR-TV in Baltimore.

Game Notes: Syracuse improved to 68-25-2 all-time against Hobart … The Statesmen are the Orange's oldest rival having served as SU's first-ever varsity lacrosse opponent on April 29, 1916 … Eleven of Syracuse's 13 goals Tuesday were assisted … Nims extended his point-scoring streak to 23 games … The game marked the fourth time this season and third time in the last four games that the Orange allowed five goals or less … Head coach John Desko improved to 10-1 all-time against Hobart … The victory extended the Orange's season winning streak to four games.