GENEVA, N.Y.—The fourth-ranked Cornell University lacrosse team outlasted a determined Hobart College squad 19-16 on Boswell Field at David J Urick Stadium this evening. The 35 combined goals mark the most in the 138-game series between the Central New York rivals.
 
Statesmen senior Matthew Pedicine won 22-of-39 faceoffs and collected a game-high 13 ground balls. Junior attackman Justin Scott produced a team-high six points on five goals and an assist. Senior attackman Chris Aslanian contributed five assists to become just the third Division I Statesmen with 70 career assists (72, seven behind No. 2 Nate Hill '05). He also upped his career point total to 151, third among Division I Statesmen and 11 away from matching Daryl Veltman's 11-year-old record (162). Junior defenseman Sam Mueller caused a game-high three turnovers and had four ground balls.
 
Sophomore CJ White and junior Sam Lucchesi split time in goal. White turned back three shots in the first half, while Lucchesi made six in the second half.
 
The Big Red attack of junior Jeff Teat, senior Clarke Patterson, and sophomore John Piatelli did most of the damage. Teat recorded a game-high eight points on six goals and two assists. Patterson and Piatelli each added four goals and two assists. Junior long-stick midfielder Brandon Salvatore picked up a team-high seven ground balls, helping Cornell to a 41-37 advantage in that category.
 
In goal, junior Caelahn Bullen was credited with the win after making six saves in 40 minutes of work. First-year Chase Ierlan made five saves in relief.
 
Cornell (1-0) opened the night's scoring, but Hobart (2-1) stuck back with consecutive goals 28 seconds apart by junior Eric Holden. The Big Red pulled even a minute later, but senior Koko Avedisian put the Statesmen back in front with about six and a half minutes left in the first quarter.
 
Cornell finished the opening frame with a flurry, scoring four of the final five goals—including two from Patterson—to carry a 6-4 lead in the second quarter.
 
Kason Tarbell made it 7-4 20 seconds into the new quarter, but sophomore Ryan Archer and Scott tallied back-to-back to pull it back to a one-goal game. Like the first quarter, the Big Red ended the half with a burst of scoring to take an 11-8 lead into the locker room. Once again, Patterson scored twice as CU went into halftime on a 4-2 run.
 
Teat scored three times in the third quarter, helping Cornell extend its lead to 16-12 with 15 minutes remaining. Five minutes into the fourth quarter, the Big Red led by six, thanks in part to two more goals from Teat, but Hobart wrapped up the night's scoring with the final three tallies, including first-year Jason Knox's team-leading 11th goal.
 
Cornell's ride proved to be a difference maker in the game. The Big Red limited Hobart to 15-of-24 clearing (.625).
 
The Statesmen have a quick turnaround for their next game, traveling to Colgate on Tuesday, Feb. 26 for a 4 p.m. faceoff. Cornell has an even quicker turnaround, hosting Lehigh on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m.