GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College lacrosse team opened the 2022 season with a convincing 22-13 win over Canisius College on Stiles Field in the Poole Family Sports Dome. The Statesmen starting attack combined for 20 points as Hobart improved to 21-1 all-time against the Golden Griffins.
 
Tommy Mott led the offensive explosion with a career-high nine points on five goals and four assists. It's the most points by a Statesman since Jason Knox had 11 against Siena on Feb. 15, 2020. Ryan Archer produced seven points in the season opener for the second year in a row, scoring three times and setting up four more. Derrek Madonna added four goals, three ground balls and two caused turnovers. In total, a dozen different Statesmen produced at least one point, including William Delano, Alex Rosa, Jake Shaifer and Sam Ward who each scored their first collegiate goal.
 
Hobart outshot Canisius 60-43 and dominated the faceoff X 25-13, which contributed to a 43-26 advantage in ground balls. In fact, the Statesmen won 20 of the first 26 faceoffs. Adam Shea won 21-of-29 faceoffs and grabbed a game-high 14 ground balls.
 
Goalie Kevin Holtby earned the win, making 11 saves in just over 55 minutes of work.
 
Colin Kelly and Jacob Buck each logged three goals and an assist to pace the Golden Griffins. Goalie Matt Vavonese played just over 51 minutes, making 16 saves.
 
Hobart never trailed as Mott scored off an Archer assist less than two minutes in to give the home team the lead. Canisius forged the only tie on Nathan Conry's goal 22 seconds later. The Statesmen reclaimed the lead for good with Anthony Dattellas and Madonna scoring in succession. Kelly scored midway through the first quarter to make it a one-goal game, but Hobart ripped off four straight goals to end the quarter with a 7-2 lead.
 
Archer, assisted by Mott, opened the second quarter scoring to make it 8-2, the Statesmen's largest lead of the first half. The Golden Griffins scored four of the next five goals to go into halftime trailing 9-6.
 
Hobart stamped out any hopes of a Canisius comeback with five straight goals to start the third quarter. John Herlihy scored his second goal of the day to start the run followed by back-to-back scores by Mott. Shaifer won the ensuing faceoff and went straight to goal for his first tally, giving the Statesmen four goals before the second half was three minutes old. Dan Ryan added the first of three Hobart long-pole goals midway through the third quarter for a 14-6 lead.
 
The Golden Griffins (0-1) stopped the run with consecutive goals, but the Statesmen merely started another run. Mott and Madonna scored twice as Hobart scored seven straight, ballooning their lead to 21-9 with eight minutes left.
 
The Statesmen (1-0) will be home against next Saturday, when they welcome Lehigh to campus.