Syracuse Retains Kraus-Simmons Trophy with 17-11 Victory over Hobart

GENEVA, N.Y. — It wasn’t the warmest of welcomes that the Orange had experienced this season, but what else could be expected as two historic college lacrosse programs met for the 103rd time on Wednesday night. On the way to the stadium, the Syracuse team bus was greeted with boos and even egged by groups of Hobart students.

“It’s fun,” Marino smiled, answering a question about the pregame incident. “When you come into an environment like this, you’re going to expect that.”

Another thing that the Orange has come to expect when playing Hobart with John Desko at the helm: a win. That’s exactly what they got in Boswell Stadium, as Syracuse (8-1, 3-0) defeated Hobart (4-6, 1-1) by a final score of 17-11 in the team’s sixth straight win. The six goal win also snapped a streak of seven consecutive one-goal games.

Neither Coach Desko or the players seemed too broken up about it.

“Going into the fourth quarter up a couple it was definitely more relaxing, but they made a little run and we got a little anxious on the sideline,” Mariano admitted. “But it’s nice, winning by a couple. Hopefully we can keep doing that.”

It was a stellar evening for the Yorktown Heights native, as he tied a career-high with seven points, scoring four goals and adding three assists.

Fellow attackman Nate Solomon also tied a career-best four goal performance from the first game back in February against Siena. Riding a four-game streak in which he has scored two goals or more, the sophomore stressed the consistency his and his team’s preparation.

“There’s nothing really different,” he said. “We come out and we prepare every week like it’s the same. I guess our coaches preparing us helps us.”

The offense overall, but particularly the man-up unit that went a perfect 5-for-5, had great success against a Hobart team that was simply unable to harness its excitement for the matchup.

“We had a phenomenal warmup. Our guys were fired up in the locker room,” Hobart Head Coach Greg Raymond said. “There was no shortage of emotion in that game … I think the energy of the game got to us a little bit. It’s unfortunate.”

Another big reason for the Hobart offensive struggles was the play of two seniors, Scott Firman and Evan Molloy.

Molloy held attackman Chris Aslanian to no points on eight shots, a particularly impressive feat after Aslanian posted 13 points against Wagner back in March.

“He’s just a clam defender, a position defender that rarely makes a mistake when he’s covering the ball,” said Desko.

Goalie Evan Molloy, being peppered with 53 total shots in the game, recorded 17 saves almost exactly one year removed from his first start for the Orange.

“I think just how I approach the game, I’ve gotten better at it,” he said. “It’s more of a team sense than just trying to stop the ball because when you’re in practice, that’s really all you have to do. There’s so much more that goes into goaltending: clearing, communicating, and things like that. So, I think I’ve really grown in that sense … and saving the ball too.”

After a week on the road, Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome to face another in-state rival in Cornell on Tuesday, April 11. Opening face off is set for 7:00 p.m.