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Hill
sets up Hobart win over Bucknell
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Nate Hill scored a game-high seven |
April 3, 2004
GENEVA—The Hobart lacrosse team scored an important Patriot League
victory this evening on soggy McCooey Field with a 13-9 decision over
visiting Bucknell University. Junior attackman Nate Hill (Hamburg/Hamburg,
N.Y.) led the charge with two goals and five assists, matching his career-highs
in both assists and points.
A nail-biter in the first half, Hobart (4-4, 4-1 PL) scored the game’s opening goal when sophomore attackman Mike Conklin (West Genesee/Syracuse, N.Y.) fired home a feed from Hill. It was the first of three Hill to Conklin tallies on the night.
From the opening score until the horn signaled the end of the first half, the team’s traded goals, heading into the break tied 4-4.
The Bison (4-5, 2-2) took their first lead of the contest 49 seconds into the third frame on junior attackman Chris Cara’s (Patchogue-Medford/Medford, N.Y.) goal. Statesmen first-year midfielder Chris David (Georgetown Prep/Silver Springs, Md.) tied the game at 5-all with the first of his three goals on the night, all in the third quarter.
Bucknell grabbed its final lead of the game with 7:16 remaining in the third on a man-up goal by first-year midfielder Kirk Klett (Mt. Lebanon/Mt. Lebanon, Pa.). Just over a minute later, David forged the sixth and final tie.
Shortly thereafter, things began to slip away from the Bison. Nearly perfect in the opening 30 minutes (12-13 clears, 7-10 faceoffs, 1 penalty for 30 seconds), Hobart rode Bucknell on 7-of-15 clear attempts in the second half, won 9-of-15 faceoffs, and converted all of its three man-up opportunities.
The first extra-man score, by Conklin, gave the Statesmen an 8-6 lead. It was the first time either team had led by more than a single goal in the team’s annual meeting since the fourth quarter of the 2002 showdown, a game Hobart won 12-11 on McCooey Field.
Back-to-back even strength goals followed by consecutive extra-man goals, ballooned the Statesmen’s lead to 11-6 with 10:03 remaining.
The Bison managed back-to-back goals of their own near the eight minute mark, but Hill fed Conklin on two straight tallies 46 seconds apart to seal the victory.
Junior attackman Patrick Christensen (St. Mary’s Ryken/Leonardtown, Md.) led Bucknell with five goals and an assist.
Hobart junior defenseman Greg McCarthy (Pinkerton Academy/Derry, N.H.) did an excellent job of limiting Cara’s effectiveness. Cara entered the game averaging a Division I-high 5.5 points per game, but was held to a goal and three assists with only two of those points coming at even strength.
In goal, Hobart junior Dan Valente (Mt. Hebron/Ellicott City, Md.) made 15 saves for the win, while gathering a game-high nine ground balls, including several interceptions that prevented in-close scoring chances. Sophomore Matt Baran (Tatnall/Wilmington, Del.) turned away 16 shots for the Bison.
Hobart returns to action at 7 p.m., on April 7, when Colgate visits McCooey Field for another Patriot League fray.