March 26, 2005

Nate Molinari recorded a career-high seven points in Hobart's win over 16th-ranked Rutgers. (Photo by K. Colton/SportsPics.net)

GENEVA, N.Y.—The 14th-ranked Hobart lacrosse team rode red-shirt junior Nate Molinari’s (Oswego/Oswego, N.Y.) career-high seven points to a 16-10 ECAC Lacrosse League victory over No. 16 Rutgers University this afternoon at McCooey Field. Molinari, who recorded two points in each of the first three quarters, finished the day with two goals, a game-high five assists, and a game-high six ground balls.

Senior attackman Nate Hill (Hamburg/Hamburg, N.Y.) added six points (4-2) to the Hobart attack, while sophomore midfielder Chris David (Georgetown Prep/Silver Springs, Md.) added four goals. First-year attackman Nate Sanderson (Salisbury School/Orangeville, Ontario) led Rutgers with four goals, while senior attackman Leif Blomquist (Long Beach/Long Beach, N.Y.) added four assists.

Rutgers (2-4, 0-1 ECAC) seized its only lead of the contest at the 6:24 mark of the first quarter on a goal by sophomore midfielder Matt Gaines (Edgewood/Abingdon, Md.). The Statesmen (5-1, 1-1) responded with the last three goals of the opening frame. Hill sandwiched a pair of goals around a David score to give Hobart a 5-3 lead heading into the second quarter.

Sanderson scored two of the first three goals of the second quarter, both tallies pulled the Scarlet Knights—who have lost four in a row, all to ranked foes—within one of the Statesmen, the last at 9:16.

The Statesmen started to pull away with four of the game’s next five goals. Hill keyed the surge, scoring twice and setting up a third.
Rutgers scored the final goal of the first half to leave the Statesmen a 10-7 advantage.

After the break, Hobart, which has been outscored 11-3 in the third quarter of its previous two games, played one of its strongest third frames of the season. The Statesmen logged the only two goals of the stanza, while limiting the Scarlet Knights to just four shots, only two of which were on frame. Senior goalie Dan Valente (Mt. Hebron/Ellicott City, Md.) handled both offerings and finished the day with nine saves.

Hobart tacked on two more unanswered to start the fourth quarter for what proved to be an insurmountable 14-7 lead with 11:13 remaining.

The Statesmen controlled the flow of the play throughout the contest, clearing on 22-of-24 attempts, holding a 43-21 advantage on ground balls, and winning 16-of-27 faceoffs. The ECAC leader in faceoff winning percentage, sophomore midfielder John Soden (Delbarton/Chester, N.J.) won 16 of the 25 restarts he took for Hobart.

In goal for Rutgers, junior Greg Havalchak (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) made 11 stops.

The Statesmen are back in action at 7:05 p.m., on March 29, when the Syracuse Orange visits McCooey Field. A capacity crowd is expected for the 20th Kraus-Simmons Trophy game. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to ensure a seat in the grandstand. The game will be televised live by Time Warner Sports Channel in the Syracuse/Central New York area. CSTV will air the game on a tape delay basis at 1 p.m., on April 2.