March 25, 2003

GENEVA, N.Y.—The unranked Hobart College lacrosse team gave fifth-ranked Syracuse University a scare this evening in front of a raucous crowd at AstroTurf Stadium, but the Orangemen scored four of the game’s last five goals to post a 15-12 victory and avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since 1995. Hobart (4-2) senior attackman John Bogosian (Kent School/Massena, N.Y.) led all scorers with six points on five goals and an assist, while junior midfielder Steve Vallone (Corning East/Corning, N.Y.) paced Syracuse (4-2) with five goals.

The Statesmen (4-2), playing in front of 2,153 fans, got off to a strong start, controlling the tempo of play in the first quarter and outshooting the Orange 10-3. Bogosian scored the opening frame’s lone goal to give Hobart a lead it would not relinquish until early in the third quarter.

In the second quarter, Bogosian and first-year attackman Mike Conklin (West Genesee/Syracuse, N.Y.) logged goals less than 30 seconds apart to give the Statesmen a 3-0 lead at the 12:37 mark. Syracuse broke into the scoring column 36 seconds later when junior attackman Michael Powell (Carthage/Carthage, N.Y.) scored a man-up goal.

Less than a minute later, Bogosian restored the three-goal lead and 22 seconds after that sophomore midfielder Nate Hill (Hamburg/Hamburg, N.Y.) scored a man-up goal to give Hobart a four-goal lead, the largest lead of the evening for either team. Vallone scored at the 10:01 mark to pull SU to within two, concluding a six-goal flurry in a span of just 3:03.

Hobart senior midfielder Sean Kent (LaSalle/Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) put the Statesmen back in front by four, but senior attackman Liam Banks (Ward Melville/Setauket, N.Y.) scored twice in the final 5:24 of the half to head into the break with Hobart leading 6-4.

Vallone scored the first two goals of the second half to forge the first of six ties. The teams traded goals to make it a 7-7 game, then Vallone scored his 13th of the season to give the Orangemen their first lead of the game.

The Upstate New York rivals traded goals until the final minute of the third quarter when Conklin and sophomore midfielder Chris Scanlon (Corning West/Painted Post, N.Y.) connected on back-to-back goals to give Hobart a 10-9 lead—its final advantage of the evening—heading into the final frame.

Syracuse scored twice to open the fourth quarter, and take an 11-10 lead, but Bogosian forged the final tie of the night with 11:02 remaining. The Orangemen responded with the next three goals, from three different players, to take a 14-11 lead.

Bogosian gave the Statesmen fans hope with 4:24 left, netting his team-leading 21st goal and trimming Hobart’s deficit to two, but Vallone scored his 14th goal of the season at the 3:07 mark to close out the scoring.

In goal, sophomore Jay Pfeifer (Gilman/Towson, Md.) recorded 10 saves and the win, while senior Mike Borsz (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) made nine stops for the Statesmen.

Hobart returns to action in a key Patriot League match up at 3:30 p.m. on March 29, at Bucknell (4-2, 1-0 PL). The Statesmen are 3-0 in conference play.