#TBT Syracuse Rolls Past St. John's to Claim 2012 BIG EAST Title
3/10/2016 12:01:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Palasek earns most outstanding player honors
As a part of the Centennial Season, Cuse.com is looking back at memorable matchups with each of the Syracuse men's lacrosse team's opponents this season. Today, we flashback to May 5, 2012, when the Orange defeated St. John's to take the inaugural BIG EAST Tournament Championship.
Having met nearly two months prior to the matchup, the Orange knew what the Red Storm would bring on the field. The first matchup of the season, on March 10, 2012, went 'Cuse's way but only by a score of 9-8. Tied at eight with 1:25 left, senior Tim Desko put the Orange on top to claim the team's Big East opener and improve to 3-1 on the season.
Entering the game at 8-7, Syracuse found itself in a rematch with one of its closest opponents of the season. However, determined to make a statement in the Big East's first tournament, the Orange made sure that this game was not as tight.
Bobby Eilers and Tommy Palasek got things started right away, as Eilers net the first two goals of the game on assists from Palasek to jump out to a 2-0 lead with 5:51 to play in the first quarter. The Orange proceeded to net two more before the end of the period, with the third goal coming from the stick of Derek Maltz, and the fourth from Palasek for his third point of the game.
Unwilling to allow the Red Storm back into the game, Desko added a fifth goal for the Orange nearly five minutes into the second quarter, putting the team up 5-0. Palasek added to it just two minutes later, evening his point tally at two goals and two assists with 8:37 to play in the half. The 'Cuse lead was extended to seven with just over three minutes left in the second, as Hakeem Lecky joined the stat sheet with an unassisted goal of his own.
Coming out of the break, the Orange tacked another goal to their lead as a Bobby Eilers pass found Luke Cometti before being sent to the back of the net for an 8-0 lead.
The Red Storm showed fight, as Kieran McArdle scored two goals in a row to narrow the gap to six with 10:43 to play in the third quarter. However, with 1:25 to go in the period, Billy Ward broke a 13:18 scoreless drought for the Orange, scoring off an assist from JoJo Marasco to push the lead to 9-2.
Harry Kutner scored a man-up goal for St. John's to open the final quarter, but yet again Palasek proved his worth for the Orange, countering it with a goal of his own just two and a half minutes later. The goal gave Palasek a hat-trick on the day, and gave the Orange a 10-3 lead.
Three minutes later, Matt Walters scored on an assist from Palasek, pushing the score to 11-3. 43 seconds after that, Kevin Rice beat the St. John's keeper off a feed from Billy Ward, finishing the Orange's scoring for the day and making the score 12-3.
The Red Storm would get one final goal from Kevin Cernuto with just under four minutes to play, but their efforts were not enough as the Orange were crowned the Big East Tournament Champions, winning by a score of 12-4.
Palasek led the way with six points, while Eilers added two goals and two assists of his own for four. Bobby Wardwell played 53:56 minutes in the cage for the Orange, allowing three goals and making seven saves. Domin Lamolinara played the other 6:04 in the net, making one save and allowing one goal.
Palasek was awarded the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, while Bobby Eilers, Brian Megill and Wardwell joined him on the All-Tournament Team.
The next matchup between Syracuse and St. John's comes Saturday at 4 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN3.
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Having met nearly two months prior to the matchup, the Orange knew what the Red Storm would bring on the field. The first matchup of the season, on March 10, 2012, went 'Cuse's way but only by a score of 9-8. Tied at eight with 1:25 left, senior Tim Desko put the Orange on top to claim the team's Big East opener and improve to 3-1 on the season.
Entering the game at 8-7, Syracuse found itself in a rematch with one of its closest opponents of the season. However, determined to make a statement in the Big East's first tournament, the Orange made sure that this game was not as tight.
Bobby Eilers and Tommy Palasek got things started right away, as Eilers net the first two goals of the game on assists from Palasek to jump out to a 2-0 lead with 5:51 to play in the first quarter. The Orange proceeded to net two more before the end of the period, with the third goal coming from the stick of Derek Maltz, and the fourth from Palasek for his third point of the game.
Unwilling to allow the Red Storm back into the game, Desko added a fifth goal for the Orange nearly five minutes into the second quarter, putting the team up 5-0. Palasek added to it just two minutes later, evening his point tally at two goals and two assists with 8:37 to play in the half. The 'Cuse lead was extended to seven with just over three minutes left in the second, as Hakeem Lecky joined the stat sheet with an unassisted goal of his own.
Coming out of the break, the Orange tacked another goal to their lead as a Bobby Eilers pass found Luke Cometti before being sent to the back of the net for an 8-0 lead.
The Red Storm showed fight, as Kieran McArdle scored two goals in a row to narrow the gap to six with 10:43 to play in the third quarter. However, with 1:25 to go in the period, Billy Ward broke a 13:18 scoreless drought for the Orange, scoring off an assist from JoJo Marasco to push the lead to 9-2.
Harry Kutner scored a man-up goal for St. John's to open the final quarter, but yet again Palasek proved his worth for the Orange, countering it with a goal of his own just two and a half minutes later. The goal gave Palasek a hat-trick on the day, and gave the Orange a 10-3 lead.
Three minutes later, Matt Walters scored on an assist from Palasek, pushing the score to 11-3. 43 seconds after that, Kevin Rice beat the St. John's keeper off a feed from Billy Ward, finishing the Orange's scoring for the day and making the score 12-3.
The Red Storm would get one final goal from Kevin Cernuto with just under four minutes to play, but their efforts were not enough as the Orange were crowned the Big East Tournament Champions, winning by a score of 12-4.
Palasek led the way with six points, while Eilers added two goals and two assists of his own for four. Bobby Wardwell played 53:56 minutes in the cage for the Orange, allowing three goals and making seven saves. Domin Lamolinara played the other 6:04 in the net, making one save and allowing one goal.
Palasek was awarded the BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, while Bobby Eilers, Brian Megill and Wardwell joined him on the All-Tournament Team.
The next matchup between Syracuse and St. John's comes Saturday at 4 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN3.
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