May 5, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart lacrosse team lost its season finale to third-ranked Cornell University 15-6 tonight under the lights of McCooey Field. The Big Red scored the game’s first 11 goals en route to its 11th win of the season.

Junior attackman David Mitchell (Central Collegiate/Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) paced Cornell with four goals and two assists, while junior attackman Eric Pittard (Skaneateles/Skaneateles, N.Y.) added two goals and two assists. Red-shirt first-year midfielder David O’Quinn (Robinson/Burke, Va.) led Hobart with two goals, while sophomore midfielder Nick Currie (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) added a goal and an assist.

The Big Red (11-2) dominated the first half, outshooting the Statesmen 28-8, netting five goals in the first quarter and four more in the second. Cornell’s defense, which began the week second in the nation in goals allowed, limited Hobart (6-8) to just one shot on goal in the first quarter. The Statesmen were able to turn up the pressure in the second stanza, putting seven shots on frame, but junior Matt McMonagle (Episcopal Academy/Bryn Mawr, Pa.) saw every one into the safety of his crosse or turned them away without harm. He finished with nine saves (1 GA) in 43 minutes. Senior Kyle Miller (Salisbury School/Orangeville, Ontario) made four stops in relief.

Cornell scored twice more to start the second half, before junior midfielder Justin Porter (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.) broke through for Hobart. The Big Red closed out the third with back-to-back goals to carry a 13-1 lead into the final 15 minutes.

Statesmen senior goalie Mike DeSantis (Mountain Lakes/Mountain Lakes, N.J.) played well under the constant barrage of Cornell shots, recording 12 saves in 45 minutes.

Both teams subbed liberally in the fourth quarter with the Statesmen posting a 5-2 advantage in the scoring column. Sophomore attackman Daryl Veltman (Salisbury School/Georgetown, Ontario) netted his team-leading 22 goal of the season during the frame, the 50th of his career. Sophomore midfielder Jimmy Farmer (Daniel Hand/Madison, Conn.) also scored for Hobart, the first goal of his career.

The oldest rivalry in collegiate lacrosse, Hobart and Cornell were playing for the 126th time in a series that began in 1898.