Box Score LEWISBURG, Pa.--With the 2000 season just a single game old, the Hobart lacrosse team had already put itself behind the eight ball by losing to Patriot League power Army. On April Fool's Day, the Statesmen stepped out from behind the eight ball with a 16-12 road win over 18th-ranked Bucknell University.
That opening day loss meant Hobart would need some help if it was going to get back in the Patriot League race. Bucknell supplied that help on March 18 by beating the Black Knights (who lost again to Colgate on March 28). The Statesmen repaid that help by handing the Bison (4-3, 2-1 Patriot League) their fourth consecutive loss to Hobart thanks in large part to the stellar play of first-year midfielder Tim Booth.
Booth recorded his first collegiate hat trick and a career-high four points, but more importantly he won 13 of the 21 faceoffs he took, including 8-of-10 in the second half. Juniors Jamie Breslin (4-1) and Jason Ouellet (3-2) led all scorers with five points apiece.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle through the first 41 minutes of the contest as Hobart and Bucknell forged eight ties, the last at 9-all at 8:14 in the third quarter.
After the Statesmen built a 3-2 first quarter lead on a pair of Ouellet goals and a tally by Breslin, the Bison led for most of the second quarter. Hobart scored three of the last four goals of the half, including Booth's first goal with 53 seconds remaining, to send the teams into the break knotted at 7-7.
After the intermission, the Statesmen and Bison traded goals up to 9-9. Hobart took its first two-goal lead when Breslin and Booth scored back-to-back goals less than 30 seconds apart midway through the third quarter. Bucknell trimmed the lead to one with an extra-man score at the 4:14 mark, but three straight goals gave the Statesmen their biggest lead of the game.
Sophomore Christian Gould sparked the run with the final goal of the third quarter assisted by senior Spencer Niebuhr. Hobart began the fourth quarter man-up and quickly took advantage. Ouellet netted the Statesmen's third extra-man goal of the day just 17 seconds into the quarter. The Statesmen were successful on three of six man up opportunities, nearly equaling the total goals (4) that the Bison's man down defense had allowed all season. Breslin closed out the run with his team leading 13th goal of the season.
Bucknell kept the game's final outcome in doubt with back-to-back goals to close to within 14-12 with just under three minutes remaining. Then an overzealous fan extinguished the Bison's comeback. Clad in nothing but a lacrosse helmet, a Bucknell student ran the length of the field and shot a lacrosse ball into the Hobart net, at which point the Bison were flagged for delay of game, awarding the Statesmen possession. Hobart ran 90 seconds off the clock before senior Kevin DeWall notched his third assist of the afternoon on Booth's third score, effectively icing the game.
Senior Jared Bebee, who finished with three goals and an assist, put the final nail in the coffin with 54 second left in the game. Bebee has recorded at least a point in 33 consecutive games. The 5-5 attackman also notched his 100th career point, a Booth-assisted goal at the 2:35 mark of the second quarter.
First-year Mike Borsz made his first start in goal, making five first half saves, before yielding to senior James Murtha in the second half. Murtha, who injured his knee against Syracuse and didn't practice all week, also made five stops.
The Statesmen return to Boswell Field for the first time this season on April 5, for a 4:30 p.m. bout with Colgate, the first of four straight home games.
--HWS SPORTS--
