Orange Handles Hobart, 15-9

Saturday, April 19

Geneva, NY

3 pm

Syracuse University

9-3

Hobart

4-8

Syracuse

Hobart

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

4/19/2014 8:17:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

SU wins Kraus-Simmons Trophy for 26th time in 29 years

Score By Period	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
Syracuse	2	3	4	6	15
Hobart	2	4	2	1	9
Box Score \| Photos \| Highlights \| Press Conference Saturday, April 19, 2014 \| Boswell Field / Geneva, N.Y. \| Attendance: 2,993

GENEVA, N.Y. – For the second time in three games attackmen Randy Staats and Kevin Rice powered the Orange to a win against a local rival. Eleven days after combining for 16 points at Cornell, the duo teamed up for nine goals and 14 points to lead No. 4 Syracuse (9-3) to a 15-9 win against Hobart (4-8) in the 100th meeting between the two teams Saturday, April 19 at Boswell Field.

Rice and Staats scored SU's first eight goals and they paced an offense that outscored Hobart 10-3 in last two quarters to win back the Kraus-Simmons Trophy, which Hobart took home last season via a 13-12 victory at the Carrier Dome. The Orange has now claimed the trophy 26 times in the 29 years since it was first awarded to the Syracuse-Hobart winner in 1986.

Staats finished with a game-high eight points on five goals and three assists. Rice scored four goals and contributed two helpers. Dylan Donahue and Billy Ward chipped in with two goals and two assists each.

"It was a good win for us and a great game," Orange head coach John Desko said. "Fortunately, we came out in the second half and were able to get some more possessions. I think we calmed down offensively and especially in the fourth quarter we were able to score some goals to put some distance between us and the Statesmen. I'm proud of our guys for playing so well, especially in the second half today, and it's great to have the Kraus-Simmons Trophy back home in Syracuse."

Early on it looked like the trophy might remain in Geneva as Hobart broke open a 2-2 game with a 4-0 second-quarter run to grab a 6-2 lead. However, Staats stopped the Statesmen's scoring spree by finding the cage at the 3:47 mark of the period. He added two more goals before halftime to trim the Hobart margin to 6-5 at the break.

In the second half, Hobart took a 7-5 lead early in the third quarter on a goal by Matt Opsahl before a 7-1 Orange run gave the visitors a 12-8 advantage with 9:22 remaining. Rice notched three straight goals for Syracuse in the decisive rally, and Staats made another eye-popping play that led to the go-ahead goal.

With less than a minute left in the third quarter and the score tied at eight, Staats whizzed a 25-yard pass from the far side of the field to an open Donahue on the crease. After several fakes, Donahue buried the shot to put the Orange in front for good with 12 seconds remaining in the period.

In the fourth quarter, Syracuse continued its surge, outscoring the Statesmen 6-1 to produce the 15-9 final.

Goalie Bobby Wardwell picked up the win for Syracuse. He made three saves and allowed three goals in the second half after relieving starter Dominic Lamolinara.

Overall, the Orange defense held the Statesmen to three goals in the game's last 35:30. The unit also successfully killed five of Hobart's six extra-man opportunities and recorded nine caused turnovers.

Senior faceoff specialist Chris Daddio turned in another solid performance to help key the victory. Daddio was 15-for-26 (.577) at the X. He also picked up 12 ground balls, one short of his career high.

Opsahl, Zach Reed and Taylor Vanderbeek all had two goals for Hobart.

With starting goaltender Peter Zonino out with an injury, Jackson Brown got the nod in the cage for the Statesmen. Brown recorded 11 saves, including eight in the first half.

The Orange returns to action Friday, April 25 at 5 p.m. when it meets Duke in the semifinals of the ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. Maryland and Notre Dame square off in the second semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be televised live on ESPNU.

Game Notes: Syracuse is 7-0 this season in non-conference play … After starting the year 58-for-136 (.426), Daddio is 72-for-124 (.581) on faceoffs during SU's current five-game winning streak … It was the second consecutive four-point game for Ward who had three goals and one assist April 12 versus North Carolina … Twelve of Syracuse's 15 goals Saturday were assisted … Freshman Scott Firman registered a career-best three caused turnovers … The Orange has won 19 games in a row when allowing less than 10 goals.