Syracuse University
Albany
Orange Goes For 800th Win Saturday
4/2/2010 11:40:23 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Tickets | Watch/Listen Live | Live Stats | Game Notes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - No. 2 Syracuse (6-1) goes in search of its 800th all-time victory on Saturday, April 3 when it hosts Albany (2-6) at 4 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The Orange owns 799 wins since its first varsity lacrosse season in 1916 and can become just the second Division I program to reach the 800-win plateau.
Syracuse carries a four-game winning streak into the matchup. The Great Danes have won their last two outings.
Tickets for the game are available online at SUathletics.com, over the phone (1-888-DOMETIX), or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office during normal business hours. 'Cuse Kids Club members get in free with their membership card.
The game will be televised live in the Syracuse area on Time Warner Cable Sports. Fans can also hear the action live on the radio home of the Orange - TK 99 (99.5 FM). Live streaming video and audio are available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access.
THE 800-WIN CLUB
The Orange is bidding to become just the second member of the 800-win club. Johns Hopkins is currently the only Division I school with 800 victories. They have 896 dating back to 1883. Syracuse owns an all-time record of 799-309-16 since 1916, good for a .718 winning percentage. That doesn't include the 1943, 1944 and 1945 seasons when varsity athletics were suspended at Syracuse because of World War II.
BREAKING DOWN SU'S ALL-TIME RECORD
The 2010 campaign is the program's 91st varsity lacrosse season. Through its first 90 years, the Orange averaged 8.8 wins per season. Since 1980, that number has increased to 12.1 victories per year and includes 11 NCAA title-winning campaigns. Laurie Cox, SU's first coach, compiled 116 wins from 1916-30. Roy Simmons Sr. took over in 1931 and recorded 253 victories from 1931-70. Simmons was succeeded by his son, Roy Jr., who totaled 290 wins from 1971-98. Current head coach John Desko has 140 victories since 1999.
DESKO'S SEEN MORE THAN HALF OF THEM
Of Syracuse's 799 wins, Desko has been associated with the program for more than half of them. As a player, assistant coach and head coach, Desko has witnessed 404 of the program's total victories. He was part of 35 SU wins as a player from 1976-76; 229 as an assistant from 1980-98 and 140 since taking the head coaching reigns in 1999.
KEOGH NEARING MILESTONE
Junior Stephen Keogh needs three points to reach 100 for his career. The Toronto, Ontario native has 97 points (88g, 9a) in 43 career games. Keogh is Syracuse's active leader in both points and goals. He totaled 55 points and led the nation with 49 goals in 2009. This season, he leads the Orange with 19 goals and ranks first in the BIG EAST in goals per game (2.7).
SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
Albany has won its last two games after the beginning the campaign 0-6. The Great Danes defeated Bucknell (7-6) on March 27 and beat Hartford (11-10) in their America East Conference opener on March 31. Head coach Scott Marr is 82-64 at the Albany helm. He's guided the team to six winning seasons in nine years and was named the 2007 USILA Coach of the Year after leading Albany to a 15-3 record and a berth in the NCAA quarterfinals.
The Great Danes are without perhaps their best player in Joe Resetarits. He's missed the last three games due to injury. Resetarits scored 13 goals and dished out three assists before getting hurt. Senior Dave Brock and junior Brian Caufield have picked up their play in his absence. Brock leads the club with 17 goals and Caufield is Albany's leader in points (27) and assists (18). Caufield tallied the game-winner with 4:45 remaining Wednesday at Hartford.
Senior Brendan Gleason leads the Albany defense with 15 caused turnovers. He's joined by juniors Mike Banks on close defense. Sophomore goalie John Carroll has started every game. He has 98 saves and was named the America East Player of the Week after making 14 stops in the team's upset of Bucknell.
THE SERIES WITH ALBANY
The Orange has won all seven meetings with the Great Danes. The two schools have played every season since 2004, including twice that year as SU and Albany met in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. All seven pairings have taken place at the Carrier Dome and SU has scored at least 10 goals in each contest. The 2005 and 2006 meetings were the most competitive with Syracuse emerging as one-goal victors both times.
