March 28, 2006

SYRACUSE, N.Y.—The Hobart lacrosse team reclaimed the Kraus-Simmons Trophy for the first time in 20 years, defeating 13th-ranked Syracuse University 9-8 in front of 3,778 fans at the Carrier Dome. Senior goalie Mike DeSantis (Mountain Lakes/Mountain Lakes, N.J.) raised his career-high for the third game in a row with 16 saves.

With a 9-8 victory over Syracuse, the Statesmen celebrated the return of the Kraus-Simmons Trophy to Geneva.

“It’s a great feeling to beat a great Syracuse team,” DeSantis said. “They played a great game all the way until the end. I’m just real happy to get the W and bring the trophy back to Geneva.”

The win was the first for the Statesmen (4-3) over the Orange since a 16-13 win in Geneva in 1986. The victory is Hobart’s first in the Carrier Dome and the first at Syracuse since posting a 16-4 triumph in 1979.

“We played very hard from start to finish and that’s the kind of effort you have to have against a great team like Syracuse,” Hobart Head Coach Matt Kerwick said. “I couldn’t be more proud of our guys.”

Sophomore midfielder Sean Murphy (Bishop Timon-St. Jude/Buffalo, N.Y.) led the Statesmen with four points, while sophomore attackman Daryl Veltman (Salisbury School/Georgetown, Ontario) and first-year midfielder Nick Currie (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) each netted a pair of goals. Patrick Perritt recorded three points (2-1) to lead Syracuse.

The two lacrosse powerhouses entered the fourth quarter deadlocked at 7-all. Red-shirt first-year David O’Quinn (Robinson/Burke, Va.) put Hobart in front for good at the 10:44 mark, finishing a feed from Murphy, his third assist of the game. Currie gave the Statesmen a two-goal cushion with 6:01 remaining.

The insurance goal proved vital when Syracuse (1-4) converted an extra-man opportunity with 1:35 left in the contest.

Sophomore faceoff specialist Dan Spinella (New Hartford/New Hartford, N.Y.) won the ensuing faceoff that allowed Hobart to run about 30 seconds off the clock before a crease violation gave the ball back to Syracuse. The Orange managed to put one shot on goal with four seconds remaining, but DeSantis was up to the task to secure the win.

DeSantis and Orange goalie Peter Coluccini (8 saves) stole the show in the first quarter, combining for eight saves in a scoreless frame.

Syracuse quickly jumped out to a 2-0 advantage early in the second quarter, but the Statesmen answered in-kind. Veltman struck first off a Murphy feed and senior midfielder Patrick Meade (Schenectady/Schenectady, N.Y.) evened the contest with a shot between his own legs that beat Coluccini. SU went back in front 3-2 on a goal by Joe Yevoli, but Veltman and Currie scored in succession to head into halftime with a 4-3 lead.

In the third quarter, first-year attackman Jeff Ryan (West Genesee/Syracuse, N.Y.) gave Hobart a two-goal lead, but the Orange outscored their guests 4-2 the rest of the frame to set up the drama of the final 15 minutes.

Shots were even at 42 apiece, while Hobart enjoyed a slight edge in ground balls 37-35 and Syracuse won faceoffs 13-8. The Orange also converted 3-of-6 extra-man opportunities, while stopping the Statesmen on all four of their chances.

Hobart returns to action on April 1, when the Statesmen travel to Fairfield for a 2 p.m. faceoff.