January 6, 2007

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College senior Mike McCarthy (Medfield, Mass.) totaled two goals and an assist as the Statesmen defeated SUNY Geneseo 6-3 in non-league ice hockey action this afternoon. Tenth-ranked Hobart improves to 8-2-3 overall, while Geneseo drops to 10-6-0.

The Knights came out on fire, tallying two of their three goals in the first period. Senior Mitch Stephens (Forrest, Manitoba) netted an unassisted goal to begin the scoring. Thirty-five seconds later, first-year Sebastian Panetta (Ottawa, Ontario) gave Geneseo a 2-0 lead, scoring off passes from juniors Mathieu Cyr (New Maryland, Neb.) and Steve Sankey (N. Vancouver, B.C.).

Sophomore Ryan Adler (Piscataway, N.J.) put the Statesmen on the board with four minutes left to play in the first, assisted by seniors Jonathan Swift (Andover, Mass.) and McCarthy. Hobart took a 2-1 deficit into the first break.

The lone goal of the second period belonged to the Statesmen. McCarthy tied the game as he netted his first goal of the night at 5:22. Junior Ted Brzek (Duxbury, Mass.) and Adler assisted on the goal.

Hobart took its first lead of the game at 7:45 in the third. Senior Mike Polsonetti (Lynn, Mass.) broke the 2-2 tie, with classmates Swift and Marc Borden (Genview, Ill.) recording the helpers. The Knights answered in the 12th minute, however, as Stephens scored his second goal of the night, tying the game at 3-3.

Senior Aaron Laycock (Barrie, Ontario) lit the lamp for the first time this season at 13:24 in the third, recording the game winner and putting the Statesmen back on top, 4-3. First-year Gregory Alberti (Bernardsville, N.J) and sophomore Bryant Harris (Plainfield, N.H.) assisted. Hobart went on to score two more insurance goals, courtesy of sophomore Jason Merrit (Chapel Hill, N.C.) and McCarthy.

Sophomore goaltender Keith Longo (Hopedale, Mass.) registered 31 saves for the Statesmen, while junior Derek Jokic (Petersburg, Ontario) stopped 34 shots for the Knights.

Hobart will be in action again on Jan. 9 when it travels to Cortland for a non-league game at 7 p.m.