Hobart Upsets Syracuse Winning The Kraus-Simmons Trophy

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 5 Syracuse (9-3) had its six-game home winning streak snapped in a 13-12 loss to Hobart (6-6) on Tuesday, April 16 at the Carrier Dome. Alex Love’s unassisted goal with 2:13 remaining was the difference, as the Statesmen won the Kraus-Simmons Trophy for just the third time since it started being presented to the Syracuse-Hobart winner in 1986.

The Orange dominated every statistical category and led most of the way before Hobart closed the game on a 4-0 run, capped by Love’s goal. In the process, the Statesmen overcame being outshot, 46-29. SU also owned huge advantages in faceoffs (20-9) and ground balls (37-28).

The difference for Hobart was the play of Love and goalie Peter Zonino. Love had a game-high seven points on six goals and one assist and Zonino registered 18 saves, tied for the most by an opposing goalie against the Orange this season.

“We came in with a game plan and we thought it was a good game plan,” SU head coach John Desko said. “We have been on the other end when the other team has had so many possessions and we’ve come out on top by one. With the statistics the way they were I thought we could have come out on top, but I congratulate Hobart. I thought they played a good game.”

Redshirt freshman Dylan Donahue (Camillus, N.Y.) led the Orange with three goals to record his second hat trick of the year. Sophomore Kevin Rice (Skaneateles, N.Y.) contributed four points (one goal, three assists) and senior JoJo Marasco (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) chipped in three (two goals, one assist).

Hobart led 3-2 early in the second quarter before a 6-1 Orange run put the hosts up 8-4 with 3:42 left in the half. Donahue helped fuel the rally with back-to-back goals and Rice registered two assists in the stretch.

Love stopped the Orange scoring spree with a man-up tally at the 2:22 mark of the period, and he struck again 1:20 later to cut the SU lead to 8-6 at halftime.

The Orange still led by two (10-8) early in the fourth quarter before another extra-man goal by Love closed the gap to 10-9. SU responded with consecutive goals by junior Derek Maltz (Ashburn, Va.) and Donahue in less than a minute to push the margin back to three, 12-9, with 11:36 remaining. However, Donahue’s goal proved to be SU’s last as the Orange was shutout for the remainder of the contest.

Meanwhile, the Hobart offense came back to life as Derek Akner scored unassisted at the 7:17 mark to make it a 12-10 game. It was the first of Akner’s two goals in the decisive run. He also scored with 2:21 remaining to tie the score, 12-12. Following Akner’s equalizer, Love picked up the ground ball on the ensuing faceoff and scored seven later to put Hobart ahead, 13-12.

The Orange had one final chance to tie with the game with 18 seconds to play, but Zonino made a save on redshirt senior Steve Ianzito (Clay, N.Y.) in transition to clinch the victory.

SU freshman Cal Paduda (Madison, Conn.) won a career-high 20 of 28 (.714) faceoffs, including the first three of the game. He also recorded a career-best eight ground balls.

Hobart was 3 for 3 in the game with the extra man, while the Orange converted on just one of its five man-up chances. In addition to the struggles of the man-up unit, Syracuse allowed a man-down goal for the second straight game as Hobart’s Ryan Korn scored short-handed at the 9:26 mark of the third quarter.

Love (six) and Stone (three) combined for nine of Hobart’s goals, including all six in the first half. It wasn’t until Korn’s man-down goal that someone other than Love or Stone found the cage for the Statesmen.

Syracuse closes the regular season with a pair of Big East games. Up first is Georgetown on Saturday, April 20. Faceoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Multi-Sport Field.

Game Notes: Desko is now 14-2 all-time in his career against the Statesmen … The Orange’s last four games have been decided by one goal and three of them (Princeton, Cornell and Hobart) have ended with the final score 13-12 … Redshirt sophomore Henry Schoonmaker (Portland, Ore.) made his second straight start in the midfield and picked up a personal-best five ground balls.

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