GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College lacrosse team got a strong performance from its defense and a solid second half from its offense to produce a 10-4 non-conference victory over Canisius College on Boswell Field at the Caird Center for Sports and Recreation tonight.
 
It was the fewest goals allowed by the Statesmen defense since Hobart beat Bryant 5-4 on March 19, 2011. It was also the Golden Griffins' lowest scoring output of the season and the fewest goals they have scored against Hobart since a 10-3 loss in Buffalo in 2008.
 
Sophomore goalie Jackson Brown earned the win with a sterling effort between the pipes, finishing with 14 saves. Brown's inexperienced close defense (no starter had more than eight career games to his credit) played like a veteran, cohesive unit, limiting Canisius' chances in close. While the Griffins had a 33-27 shot advantage, most of the offerings were from the perimeter, allowing Brown to get a good look and make the stop.
 
Offensively, Hobart (3-2) got three-point games from junior Cooper Stefaniak and senior Brendan Saylor. Stefaniak notched his third career hat trick—his second against Canisius in as many seasons—and collected a team-high four ground balls. Saylor scored twice and added an assist.
 
Canisius won the opening faceoff and showed great patience, passing the ball around the outside of the box. The strategy resulted in long, offensive possessions for the visitors. The slowdown resulted in just a single, first quarter goal, junior attackman Vince Gravino's tally at the 6:18 mark. He led Canisius with two goals.
 
Hobart got on the board early in the second quarter when senior Talyor Vanderbeek finished a feed from classmate Zach Reed at 12:39. Four minutes later, Saylor set up junior Matt Opsahl's eighth goal of the year for a 2-1 lead. Canisius won the ensuing faceoff and junior Billy Jacobbi evened the score with 7:40 left in the half. It remained a 2-2 game through halftime.
 
The Golden Griffins (0-5) controlled the faceoff X in the first half, winning 5-of-6. However, the tide began to turn in Hobart's favor with the opening faceoff of the second half. First-year J. Andrew Spallanzani won the draw thanks to a ground ball pickup by Stefaniak, who went right to goal, scoring his fifth of the season just 17 seconds into the third quarter. Spallanzani won the ensuing faceoff and Hobart stretched its lead to 4-2 when Opsahl set the table for senior Alex Love's team-leading ninth goal of the year 2:10 into the quarter. Spallanzani was 8-of-16 on faceoffs for the night.
 
It remained a two-goal game until late in the frame when Love forced a Canisius turnover on the ride and assisted on first-year defenseman William Locke's first career goal at the 2:56 mark. Stefaniak made it a four-goal lead, scoring with six seconds left in the third quarter.
 
The Griffins scored two of the first three goals of the final frame to get within three, 7-4, but Stefaniak, sophomore Greg Sheetz, and Saylor scored in succession to put the finishing touch on Hobart's 15th win over Canisius in 16 meetings.
 
Senior Alex Govenettio went the distance in goal for Canisius, making five saves.
 
Hobart will be back in action on Saturday, March 14 when it visits Towson University for the first meeting between the two schools since 1980. Faceoff is scheduled for noon. Also on Saturday, Canisius opens MAAC play when it travels to Manhattan for a 1 p.m. start.