Strong Second Half Powers Rutgers Past 'Cuse

Sunday, March 18

Piscataway, NJ

1 PM

Syracuse University

3-3

Rutgers

6-2

Syracuse

Photo by: Scott Greenwald

3/18/2018 4:19:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score Highlights Press Conference

A strong second half pushed No. 16 Rutgers (5-2) past No. 12 Syracuse (3-3, 1-0 ACC) on Sunday.

After taking a 4-2 lead in the first quarter, and entering the halftime locker room tied at five, the Orange surrendered 9 second-half goals to drop its second straight game.

Brendan Bombbery led the way with three goals for Syracuse, while Stephen Rehfuss added two goals and an assist and Jamie Trimboli notched three assists. Dom Madonna made 10 saves in goal for the Orange. Jules Heningburg led the way for Rutgers, notching a game-high six goals and two assists.

Rutgers won the ground ball battle 34-21 and caused seven Syracuse turnovers en route to the win. Danny Varello won 15-of-26 at the X for the Orange. 'Cuse also turned it over 22 times to Rutgers' 12.

After winning the opening faceoff and controlling possession for the first 2:16 of the game, Rehfuss found the back of the net for game's first goal.
Heningburg knotted things at one for Rutgers two minutes later, but Tucker Dordevic pushed the Orange back ahead on the following possession, assisted by Brendan Curry. Extending the lead to two, Rehfuss netted his second of the day with 7:48 to play in the first, scoring off a pass from Jamie Trimboli.

Another Heningburg goal narrowed the gap, but the Orange again responded, with Bradley Voigt scoring from the left side off an assist from Lucas Quinn to push the lead to 4-2.

A 9:41 scoreless streak from both sides was snapped by Rutgers' Josh Jordan with 9:34 to play in the half, cutting the lead back to one and assisted by Christian Mazzone.

Goals from Casey Rose and Mazzone over the next two minutes tied the game and gave Rutgers its first lead of the day, 5-4.

Riley O'Sullivan stopped the scoring drought for the Orange nearly four minutes later, knotting the game back at 5 for the last goal of the half.

Bomberry started the third quarter off for the Orange, finishing from just outside the crease on the opening possession of the half, assisted from Jamie Trimboli. Rutgers bounced back with a goal by Ryan Gallagher to tie things at 6. Six minutes later, Rose followed suit, pushing the Scarlet Knights ahead, 7-6 on an unassisted goal.

Solomon responded for the Orange, curling around from behind the cage and scoring a diving, unassisted goal to tie that game at 7 with 4:55 left in the period. Just over a minute later, Solomon added his second of the day, collecting a saved shot from Bradley Voigt and finishing just in front of the cage to give the lead back to the Orange.

From that point it was all Rutgers.

After 18 seconds of alternating possessions off the ensuing face-off, Heningburg netted his third of the day for Rutgers, tying the game at 8. Heningburg added and Mazzone added another each to close the quarter, putting the Orange in a two-goal hole entering the final period.

With 10:38 to go, Heningburg snuck a shot past Madonna for his fifth of the game, giving Rutgers a three-goal lead, its biggest of the day. Three minutes later, Heningburg notched his sixth, stretching the lead to four, before assisting on a goal by Tommy Coyne to push the lead to 13-8.
Mazzone extended the lead to six with his third of the day, assisted by Coyne with 6:13 remaining.

With time ticking down and 1:20 to play, Bomberry cut the lead to five, assisted by Rehfuss. Just 17 seconds later, Bomberry netted his third of the day, catching a pass from Trimboli on the doorstep and finishing for the Orange's 10th and final goal.

The Orange return to action on Saturday at No. 3 Duke. Faceoff is slated for 1 p.m. on ESPNU.