Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart lacrosse team led by as many as seven goals late in the third quarter, but the eighth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes staged a furious comeback to avoid an upset and escape Boswell Field with a 13-12 win in overtime. Senior midfielder Ryan Laffey (Huntington/Huntington, N.Y.) scored the game-winner for Ohio State with 8.7 seconds remaining in the first overtime.

Hobart senior attackman Mark Williamson (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) scored with 9:54 remaining in the third quarter to give the Statesmen (6-5) an 11-4 lead. He posted a game-high five points on two goals and three assists.

The Buckeyes (9-2) still trailed by seven with two minutes remaining in the third frame, but senior attackman Anthony Gilardi (Baldwin/Baldwin, N.Y.) started an 8-0 OSU run with a man-up goal at the 1:49 mark. Gilardi scored twice more during the run, including his 13th tally of the season that tied the contest at 11 with 50 seconds left in regulation.

He finished with a game-high four goals.

Senior midfielder Josh Lesko (Annapolis/Annapolis, Md.) won the ensuing faceoff and junior attackman Kyle Olson (Upper Arlington/Upper Arlington, Ohio) finished a feed from senior midfielder Shaun Lyons (Hicksville/Hicksville, N.Y.) to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the game with 28 remaining.

Hobart won the subsequent faceoff give the Statesmen life. Looking to get a shot off, senior midfielder Brian Joy (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) slipped to his knees near the top of the restraining box, but managed to get a pass off to junior midfielder Chris Scanlon (Corning West/Painted Post, N.Y.), who fired a blistering shot from 15-yards out past senior goalie Tony Russo (Calvert Hall/Fallston, Md.) to force overtime. Russo finished with 13 stops.

In the extra session, Hobart outshot Ohio State 3-2, but Laffey’s charge and point-blank shot from the left of junior goalie Dan Valente (Mt. Hebron/Ellicott City, Md.) ended the Statesmen’s hopes of an upset. Valente finished with 14 saves.

Hobart junior attackman Nate Hill (Hamburg/Hamburg, N.Y.) chipped in two goals and two assists, while Scanlon recorded a hat trick. First-year midfielder John Soden (Delbarton School/Chester, N.J.) dominated the faceoff X, winning 21 of the 28 restarts while collecting seven ground balls.

The Statesmen outshot the Buckeyes 54-42, but OSU controlled the fourth quarter with a 16-5 shot advantage. Hobart’s Achilles’ heel proved to be an 0-for-4 showing in man-up situations in the fourth quarter. The Statesmen finished 2-of-8 for the game.

Clearly a disappointing loss for unranked Hobart, but the Statesmen made a case for inclusion in the next edition of the coaches poll, coming closer to knocking off OSU than second-ranked Navy (12-9) and 13th-ranked Duke (16-9). This young Hobart squad (just 4 seniors, 7 juniors) is the only team this season to score more than nine goals against the Buckeyes’ No. 2 scoring defense (6.6 gapg entering the day).

The Statesmen will close out their Patriot League loop with a visit to ninth-ranked Army on April 24. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

--HWS SPORTS--