Syracuse University
#15 Loyola
SU-Loyola On ESPNU Saturday
3/26/2009 2:47:34 PM | Men's Lacrosse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The second-ranked Orange (6-1) hits the road for its second away game of the season when it squares off against No. 15 Loyola (5-3) on Saturday, March 28 at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field. The contest will be Syracuse's third in the span of seven days. The Orange is coming off consecutive 13-4 victories against Hobart (3/24) and Binghamton (3/21), and enter the match with a four-game winning streak.
Syracuse and Loyola have met every year dating back to the 1992 season and Orange holds an 18-5 overall advantage in the series. The Orange has dominated the series of late, winning six of the last seven meetings and eight of the last 10 dating back to May 1999. Syracuse has scored double-digit goals in each of the last 10 games against the Greyhounds, and has put up at least 10 scores in 21 of the 23 meetings. In the most high-profile showdown between the clubs, SU dominated the Greyhounds, 21-9, to win the 1990 NCAA title.
DESKO VERSUS LOYOLA
Orange head coach John Desko is 8-3 all-time against Loyola. The three losses have come by a combined total of four goals. Desko won five straight versus the Greyhounds from 2002 to 2006.
ORANGE WELL REPRESENTED ON IL MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Syracuse was the most honored team on Inside Lacrosse's two midseason All-America teams. The Orange had four representatives, one more than Virginia which was second with three honorees. Senior attackman Kenny Nims (15g, 16a), senior midfielder Dan Hardy (9g, 10a) and senior close defenseman Sid Smith (11 GBs) were each picked to the first team at their respective positions. Classmate Matt Abbott (6g, 5a, 26 GBs) was a second-team choice.
LAST TIME OUT: SYRACUSE VS. HOBART - MARCH 24, 2009
Syracuse retained the Kraus-Simmons Trophy for the third consecutive season with a 13-4 victory against Hobart on March 24 at the Carrier Dome. The Orange shut out the Statesmen for the first 28:36 of the contest and outscored Hobart, 9-0, during that stretch to take control of the game. Senior Kenny Nims led the Orange in scoring with six points (2g, 4a). Sophomore Stephen Keogh paced the squad with four goals. Senior Pat Perritt contributed a personal-best four points, including tying his career high for the second straight game with two assists.
THOU SHALL NOT SCORE
The Syracuse defense has held four of its opponents scoreless for stretches of more than 20 minutes this season. The Orange kept Providence off the scoreboard for 34:25 between the first and third quarters in a 22-3 victory on Feb. 15. The Orange also held Hobart, Binghamton and Army scoreless for 20+ minutes this year. Syracuse posted a remarkable scoreless streak of 57:09 over the course of the Binghamton and Hobart games, the longest consecutive scoreless minutes streak under head coach John Desko. The Orange defense held the Bearcats without a goal for the final 28:33 on March 21 and began its game against Hobart on March 24 by shutting out the Statesmen for the first 28:36. Syracuse even managed to hold the high-scoring Virginia Cavaliers scoreless for what ammounted to almost a full quarter (14:45) in a 13-12 loss on Feb. 27.
SCOUTING LOYOLA
The Greyhounds saw their modest two-game winning streak end on March 21 with an 8-6 loss to ECAC rival Massachusetts. The loss dropped Loyola to 5-3 overall and marked the team's first home defeat of the season. The defending ECAC champs are led by senior attackman Shane Koppens (22 points). Koppens finished with a career-best nine points, including six assists, in a March 10 win against Bryant. Fellow attackmen Cooper MacDonnell (16g, 3a) and Collin Finnerty (13g, 6a) have all proved to be capable offensive threats. Senior long-stick middie P.T. Ricci is third nationally in ground balls per game (7.6) and leads the Greyhounds with 63. Sophomore goalie Jake Hagelin has started every game and has 66 saves and an 8.33 goals-against average.
Head coach Charley Toomey is in his fourth year at the helm of his alma mater. He owns a 25-22 overall record and has led the Greyhounds to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Toomey was a two-time All-American goalie at Loyola. He graduated in 1990 and was between the pipes when the Orange dismantled the Greyhounds, 21-9, to win the 1990 NCAA title, SU's third national championship in row.
UP NEXT
Syracuse will face off against perennial power Princeton at Giants Stadium in the inaugural Big City Classic on Saturday, April 4. The game is the centerpiece of a tripleheader presented by Inside Lacrosse.
