Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.–The second-ranked Syracuse University lacrosse team fought off a pesky Hobart College squad to secure a 13-5 victory over the host Statesmen at Boswell Field. The Orangemen's Liam Banks (Setauket, N.Y.) led all scorers with two goals and three assists.
Hobart (5-5) opened the game's scoring four minutes into the contest when senior midfielder Jason Ouellet (Avon Old Farms/Cheshire, Conn.) rifled home a feed from sophomore attackman Kris Shore (Liverpool/Liverpool, N.Y.). Syracuse answered at the 6:41 mark on the first of two goals by Tom Hardy (Tully, N.Y.). The Orangemen were forced to settle for an even first quarter, as Hobart goalie Mike Borsz (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) foiled the Syracuse attack repeatedly in the opening 15 minutes. The sophomore had five saves in each of the first two quarters and finished with 15 on the afternoon.
In the second quarter, the Orangemen (9-2) began to break through the Statesmen's defense. Brian Solliday (Bethpage, N.Y.) broke the tie with just 54 seconds gone, and Matt Bontaites (Marblehead, Mass.) made it a 3-1 game 14 seconds later. Solliday finished with three goals and an assist. Syracuse added three more goals to their lead to take a 6-1 advantage with 5:15 remaining in the first half.
Sophomore attackman John Bogosian (Kent School/Massena, N.Y.) finally broke through the Orange defense with 48 seconds remaining to trim the Syracuse lead to four.
After the break, the Orangemen netted the first tally, but Bogosian answered to once again trim the Syracuse lead to four. The Statesmen would get no closer. Four straight goals spanning the third and four quarters gave the defending national champions an insurmountable 11-3 lead.
The Orangemen, who defeated the Statesmen for the 15th consecutive time, outshot their hosts 43-23, including a 31-9 advantage through 45 minutes. The Syracuse man-down defense was also strong this afternoon, killing off all five of Hobart's man-up opportunities.
Rob Mulligan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) made eight saves in the cage for Syracuse, including six stops in the fourth quarter.
The Statesmen close out the home portion of their season on Sat., April 28, when they host seventh-ranked Loyola. Hobart will honor its nine seniors in a pregame ceremony. The game is also Camp Onseyawa Day. In conjunction with the Geneva Rotary Club, Hobart student-athletes will be raising money for Camp Onseyawa, a summer camp for children with special needs.
–HWS SPORTS–
