Taking on the nation’s No. 1 attack from the year ago, Syracuse’s defense was porous at times – evident by the 16 goals the Great Danes amassed.

But SU goalies Dominic Lamolinara and Bobby Wardwell still managed to make stops when they needed to.

Lamolinara spent the first half between the pipes against Albany and was relieved by Wardwell in the cage for the rest of the game. Despite yielding 16 goals total in No. 2 Orange’s 17-16 overtime win over Albany on Sunday, each goalie logged eight saves each and limited the damage of SU’s defensive breakdowns as best they could.

“Bob’s been playing really well, Dom’s been playing well and they both deserve to play,” SU head coach John Desko said. “It’s a different situation from maybe a year or two ago when we were trying to figure out who the starter would be.

“We’re comfortable putting both of them in these situations.”

Lamolinara stopped four Albany shots in the opening quarter as SU jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but surrendered three goals — each on plays when a dodging Great Dane beat an SU defender while attacking the cage.

He followed that frame up with a four-save second quarter, but Albany notched six goals in the period to briefly jump ahead of the Orange. Two of Lamolinara’s saves were in man-down situations, and another was on a shot right from point-blank range.

“Albany, they’re really slick inside,” Desko said. “Some of those shots that Dom took, some of the shots that Bobby took, were right on the doorstep. You’re not going to save too many of those.”

Just as Syracuse did in its season opener, it sent out Wardwell to begin the second half in net. He allowed just two third-quarter goals, but in the fourth was on the wrong end of Albany’s 5-0 burst to force overtime.

Still, it could’ve been worse for the Orange.

Albany’s Ryan Feuerstein had an open look from the doorstep early in the quarter, but Wardwell denied him. Caught out of position, Wardwell ran back into the crease to snare an uncontested Lyle Thompson shot from 10 yards out.

And when the Orange needed him most, the goalie stopped Miles Thompson’s shot with 48 seconds left in the game that could’ve given Albany the win.

“They just did what they were supposed to do,” Wardwell said of SU’s defenders, “and they made it an easy shot for me to save.”

Published on February 17, 2014 at 3:23 am

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