Orange Hosts #14 Villanova Sunday

#9 Syracuse (4-2, 2-0 BIG EAST) vs. #14 Villanova (4-3, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Details	Sunday, March 25 \| Syracuse, N.Y. \| 2 p.m. Carrier Dome \| Tickets \| Weather
Game Coverage	TV: Time Warner Cable Sports/SNY \| Radio: WTKW - 99.5 FM Orange All Access: Video \| Audio \| Live Stats Twitter: @Cuse
Syracuse Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats \| Notes \| Guide
Villanova Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Stats \| Notes \| Guide

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- No. 9 Syracuse (4-2, 2-0 BIG EAST) will play its third game in the last nine days Sunday, March 25 when it welcomes No. 14 Villanova (4-3, 0-0 BIG EAST) to the Carrier Dome at 2 p.m. The Wildcats are the first ranked foe the Orange will face at home this season. Syracuse's previous two encounters with ranked opponents this year came on the road (at No. 1 Virginia and No. 2 Johns Hopkins).

Tickets are available online at SUathletics.com, over the phone (1-888-DOMETIX) or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 12-and-under. Syracuse University students and 'Cuse Kids Club members get in free with proper identification. Parking is $10.

Sunday's game will be televised live in the Syracuse area on Time Warner Cable Sports and simulcast on SportsNet New York (SNY). Fans can also hear the action live on the radio home of the Orange - TK 99 (99.5 FM) and ESPN Radio 97.7 FM. Live streaming video and audio are available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access.

BIG EAST BEASTS
Syracuse has never lost a BIG EAST Conference game. The Orange is 14-0 all-time since the start of league play. The Orange posted 6-0 conference records in 2010 and 2011 to win the regular-season league championship. Syracuse is 2-0 against BIG EAST foes so far in 2012.

The Orange is averaging 12.6 goals per game all-time in BIG EAST play and has outscored its conference foes cumulatively, 176-86.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ORANGE
Sophomore attackman Derek Maltz has a goal in every game this season and leads Syracuse in points (18) and goals (13). Redshirt senior Tim Desko and junior JoJo Marasco are second with 13 points apiece. Desko is the squad's only other double-figure goal scorer with 10. Marasco snapped a three-game goal-scoring drought with a first-half tally in the team's win against Providence Wednesday.

Defensively, Syracuse is allowing 9.2 goals per contest. Junior close defenseman Brian Megill caused five turnovers for the second time this year in the Providence victory and leads the team with 15 caused turnovers on the year. Sophomore Matt Harris is the club's ground ball leader with 19.

LAST TIME OUT
The Orange improved to 3-0 at home this season with a 10-6 victory Wednesday against Providence. Nine different players scored for Syracuse in the win, including senior Tommy Palasek, who totaled two goals and one assist to finish with a team-best three points.

The Syracuse defense shut out the Friars for than 24 straight minutes and did not allow an even-strength goal until the fourth quarter.

LAMOLINARA RECEIVES FIRST START
Sophomore goalie Dominic Lamolinara got his first starting nod in the cage Wednesday against Providence. He played all 60 minutes and recorded four saves. Lamolinara's record stands at 3-0. He owns an 8.36 goals-against average in five games this season and has 21 saves.

SCOUTING VILLANOVA
The Wildcats have lost three of their last four after starting the season 3-0. Their only win in the stretch was an 8-7 triumph at Penn on March 10. In its most recent outing, Villanova fell behind Maryland, 7-0, before eventually losing, 11-5.

The Wildcats lead the BIG EAST in goals per game (10.57) and they feature four players with at least 15 points. Attackman Will Casertano (8g, 14a) leads the team in scoring and ranks first in the BIG EAST in assists per game (2.0). Conference preseason offensive player of the year Kevin Cunningham (11g, 6a) and midfielder C.J. Small (6g, 11a) both have 17 points, while attackman Jack Rice leads Villanova with 15 goals.

Preseason all-conference selection Chris Creighton (15 GBs, 13 CTs) anchors Villanova's close defense. He's flanked by Ryan McDonagh (8 GBS, 3 CTs) and Christopher Conroy (9 GBs, 7 CTs). Goalie Dan Gutierrez had started every game for the Wildcats. Gutierrez sports a 10.41 goals-against average and a .486 save percentage. He ranks third in the BIG EAST in saves per game (9.86).

Head coach Michael Corrado is in his sixth year with the Wildcats. He owns a 48-36 career coaching record and guided Villanova to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance last season.

THE VILLANOVA SERIES
Syracuse is 4-0 all-time against the Wildcats. The Orange has outscored Villanova 65-24 in the four games and owns an average margin of victory of +10.25 for the series.

UP NEXT ...
Syracuse steps out of conference play to face Duke on Sunday, April 1 at MetLife Stadium as part of the Konica Minolta Big City Classic. Faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPNU.

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