Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.–Sophomore attackman John Bogosian (Kent School/Massena, N.Y.) scored three goals and assisted on two others to lead the Hobart College lacrosse team to a season-opening win over visiting Army, 11-9. The win is the first for the Statesmen (1-0, 1-0 Patriot League) over the Black Knights (0-2, 0-1) since 1998.
Playing on the Colleges' new $1.8 million artificial turf field, Hobart senior midfielder Jason Ouellet (Avon Old Farms/Chesire, Conn.) became the answer to a trivia question, notching the first goal in the facility's history, just 43 seconds into the contest off a feed from Bogosian. Army responded with the next three goals of the game to take a 3-1 advantage after 15 minutes.
The Statesmen scored even faster to start the second quarter, needing just eight seconds to trim the Black Knight's lead to one. Sophomore midfielder Brian Joy (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) took a pass from senior midfielder Joe Leska (Vestal/Vestal, N.Y.) to make it a 3-2 game. Sophomore midfielder Tim Booth (Waterloo/Waterloo, N.Y.) pulled Hobart even on an unassisted goal at the 11:35 mark.
Army took a 4-3 lead with 9:15 remaining in the half, when junior Tim Pearson (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) scored an extra-man goal, set up by junior Jimmy Vlahakis (Shoreham, N.Y.). The lead held up through the rest of the frame. Pearson finished with three goals, while Vlahakis led the Black Knights with two goals and three assists.
After the break, Bogosian went to work in earnest. Leska cleanly won the second half's opening draw, streaked into the box, and fed Bogosian, who tied the game just 10 seconds into the third quarter. Leska won 10 of the 18 faceoffs he took and notched a pair of assists.
Bogosian, who scored just four points in seven games last season, struck again at the 12:27 mark, taking a feed from senior midfielder Scott Yoder (Wyoming Seminary/Kutztown, Pa.) and giving Hobart a 5-4 advantage.
Army reclaimed the lead with back-to-back goals by Pearson and senior John Fernandez (Rocky Point, N.Y.) just over a minute apart. It was the last lead the Black Knights enjoyed.
With 4:51 remaining in the third, Bogosian sparked a five-goal outburst by the Statesmen with a spectacular individual effort. Knocked to the ground by the Army defense just outside the crease, Bogosian used his stick like a tennis racket and batted a loose ball rebound past Black Knight goaltender Dominic Nogic (Reston, Va.) to forge a 6-all tie. Nogic finished with 17 saves.
Hobart responded with two more goals before the end of the quarter and the first two tallies of the fourth quarter to take a 10-6 lead. The teams traded extra-man goals to 11-7. Army scored its final two goals at the 5:48 and 0:11 marks to close out the scoring.
The Hobart defense, which graduated all four starters from the 2000 Patriot League Championship squad, played a strong season opener. The Statesmen "D" limited the Black Knights to just five even strength goals. Sophomore goalie Mike Borsz (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) picked up his first collegiate win with a 16-save performance. Senior defenseman Matt Hatton (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) helped Hobart to a 45-40 advantage on ground balls with a team-high eight.
The Statesmen will return to action at 1 p.m., on Sat., March 17, when they travel to Easton, Pa. to take on the Lafayette Leopards in another Patriot League match up.
–HWS SPORTS–
