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Bucknell tops Hobart in OT
February 24, 2007
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Daryl Veltman |
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James Kirk |
BROOKLANDVILLE, Md.—First-year midfielder Tim Brandau (McDonough/Owings Mills, Md.) scored with 1:16 remaining in overtime to lift the Bucknell University lacrosse team to an 11-10 victory over Hobart College. Brandau led the Bison with two goals and two assists.
The loss overshadowed several exceptional individual performances. Junior attackman Jamie Kirk (Salisbury School/Orangeville, Ontario) recorded a game-high eight points, the most since classmate Daryl Veltman (Salisbury School/Georgetown, Ontario) produced eight points at Canisius last season. Kirk dished out seven assists, including four feeds to Veltman, who finished with six goals, the most by a Hobart player since Feb. 23, 2003, when John Bogosian ’03 netted six against Butler.
Hobart junior Dan Spinella (New Hartford/New Hartford, N.Y.) dominated the faceoff X, winning 17 of the game’s 25 restarts, including all 10 in the second quarter, while sophomore midfielder Matt Smalley (Avon Old Farms/Cumberland, R.I.) collected a game-high 11 ground balls, many of them on faceoffs, leading the Statesmen to a 44-29 advantage in that category. Smalley’s total is the most by a Hobart player since Tim Booth ’03 recorded 11 against Lehigh on March 22, 2003.
The teams alternated goals in the first quarter, heading to the second tied, 2-2. The Statesmen (0-2) began the frame with three quick goals and looked poised to break the game open. The first Kirk to Veltman connection started the run at the 13:01 mark. Less than a minute later, Kirk scored on a feed from first-year Mike Suits (CBA/Jamesville, N.Y.). Junior midfielder Nick Currie (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.), assisted by Kirk, closed out the run at the 10:45 mark.
The tally chased Bucknell starting goalie Matt Antonelli (Archbishop Spaulding/Arnold, Md.), who finished with five saves. Sophomore Nick Sciubba (Salisbury School/Sea Cliff, N.Y.) provided the Bison with the lift they needed, stopping the first shot he faced and posting 11 in 43:29.
Bucknell snapped out of its offensive funk with four unanswered goals and five of the half’s final six goals to carry a 7-6 lead into the break. Senior attackman Brian Gargan (Mt. St. Joseph’s/Baltimore, Md.) scored twice during the resurgence.
Like the first quarter, the third quarter featured a total of four goals in alternating fashion. Each time Hobart tied the game, Bucknell went back in front, taking a 9-8 lead into the fourth quarter.
With 12:02 remaining in regulation, the final Kirk to Veltman feed tied the game, 9-9. Veltman’s final goal, assisted by Currie, with 1:26 to go gave Hobart its first lead since early in the second quarter, but sophomore midfielder Perry Menzies’ (Hereford/Upperco, Md.) score, set up by a great behind the cage feed by first-year attackman Austin Winter (Mountain Lakes/Boonton Township, N.J.), with 47 remaining, set up Brandau’s heroics. Menzies had a team-high three goals, while Winter had three assists.
Both teams got off two shots in overtime, but Brandau made the most of his, putting his shot in the upper right corner of the cage on a blistering shot from 10 feet away from senior goalie Brandon Baer (Locust Valley/Bayville, N.Y.). Baer made nine saves in the contest.
Hobart will make its 2007 home debut on March 3, when the Statesmen host Binghamton on McCooey Field. Faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.