SU Secures Spot in NCAA Quarterfinals

Sunday, May 10

Syracuse, NY

7:30 p.m.

Syracuse University

Siena

Sophomore John Galloway had 13 saves and helped hold the Saints to only four goals as the Orange advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals.

5/10/2009 9:45:56 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Photos | Box Score | Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The second-seeded Orange (13-2) used a stifling defense and an explosive attack to defeat MAAC champion Siena (12-6) by the score of 11-4 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, May 10 at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse held the Saints without a goal for the first 41:49 of the contest, and team's starting attack unit of senior Kenny Nims, sophomore Stephen Keogh and junior Cody Jamieson combined for seven goals and five assists in the win.

With the victory, the Orange improved to 12-3 in first-round NCAA games and advanced to the quarterfinal round where it will meet Maryland on Saturday, May 16 at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium. Game time is 12 p.m. The Terrapins moved on by beating Notre Dame, 7-3, earlier Sunday afternoon.

Tickets for the quarterfinal round can be purchased by calling the Hofstra Athletics Ticket Office at 516-HOF-TIXX. They are also available online at gohofstra.com until Friday, May 15 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 and there are no reserved seats. Parking is $10 per vehicle.

Nims led Syracuse's attack with five points, including four assists. Jamieson, who made his first start of the year Sunday, registered a personal-best three goals and dished out his first assist of the season. Keogh scored on three of his five shot attempts to record his 10th hat trick of the year.

On the defensive side, Siena's scoreless streak was the longest for an Orange opponent in one game this season. Sophomore John Galloway was locked in from the start making seven saves in the opening half and he finished with 13 in the contest. Syracuse also successfully killed five of Siena's six man-up chances and held the team's leading scorer, Bryan Neufeld, to one goal.

In addition, the defense received solid support from the Orange's attackmen whose aggressive rides helped force the Saints into an 11-for-19 showing on clears.

After neither team scored in the game's first seven minutes, Jamieson got things going with a nifty shot that beat Siena goalkeeper Brent Herbst low to give the Orange a 1-0 lead with 7:05 to go in the first quarter. An unsettled man-down goal by Keogh followed just over a minute later to give Syracuse a 2-0 lead heading into the second period.

Sophomore long stick Joel White scored his fourth of the year with 8:47 left in the half to extend the SU lead to three, and Keogh followed with his second of the day at the 4:50 mark to push the host's advantage to 4-0 at the break.

Senior Dan Hardy finished a Nims pass at the 8:44 mark of the third period to push the lead to five before Kenny Mazzone scored Siena's first goal with 3:11 to go in the stanza to break the team's scoring drought. The goal did little to slow down the Orange as SU responded with four of the game's next five goals to go up 9-2 and put the game out of reach.

Mazzone led the Saints with three points (1g, 2a) and Jordan Loftus, the brother of former SU standout Brendan Loftus, contributed a goal and an assist.

Herbst kept the Saints in it early. He had eight saves in the first half and finished with 11 in the game. He was relieved in the cage by Tom Morr who played the last 2:22 and did not make a save or allow a goal.

The Orange's victory Sunday extended its season-best winning streak to six games and improved the team's home record to 10-1 for the season.

Next weekend's quarterfinal matchup with Maryland will be the first meeting between the two programs since the Terrapins defeated the Orange, 18-17, in the 1997 NCAA semifinals at Byrd Stadium in College Park. Syracuse is 5-8 all-time against Maryland, but holds the edge in NCAA Tournament pairings, 3-2.

Game Notes: Syracuse improved to 22-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games contested at the Carrier Dome … Orange head coach John Desko is now 24-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament play … With the win, the Orange tied the school record for home victories in a season (10) established in 1988 … Nims extended his point-scoring streak to 31 games with an assist on Jamieson's first goal … Senior Greg Niewieroski scored a third-quarter goal in his return to the lineup after missing the last three games due to injury.