Men's lacrosse

Syracuse seniors account for half of team’s 18 goals in Senior Day defeat of Hobart

Aaron Nah | Contributing Photographer

Syracuse senior Randy Staats follows through on a shot for one of his four goals during the Orange's 18-5 win.

It was annihilation in the 101st rendition of the Syracuse-Hobart matchup, but Syracuse’s senior class ensured the Kraus-Simmons trophy would remain in SU’s hands in their final regular-season home game.

Accounting for half of SU’s 18 goals, it was both the starters and first-timers in the senior class to get the Orange off the Carrier Dome field in an overpowering fashion.

No. 4 Syracuse (9-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) drubbed Hobart (7-4, 4-0 Northeast) 18-5 on Tuesday night in the Carrier Dome for the Orange’s largest victory since its season-opening 14-goal victory against Siena.

Senior midfielder Hakeem Lecky took it upon himself to get his fellow veterans out of an early-game slump and get the Orange on the board again after the team scored only once in the game’s first nine minutes.

The senior attack tandem of Kevin Rice and Randy Staats continued their prolific seasons, combining for 10 points in the contest. Staats didn’t appear to be too caught up in the pregame ceremonies, but was reflective after 60 minutes had been played.



“It’s unreal playing in this building,” he said. “It’s tough that it’s your last regular-season game.”

The senior-laden team once again trotted out a starting lineup almost entirely of fourth- and fifth-year players. Fourth-year midfielder Brenny Daly even was announced with the starters before the game, having never started once before.

Most of the starting seniors’ time on the field was short-lived, as SU’s lead ballooned to 12-0 by halftime. SU head coach John Desko spent the majority of the second half utilizing his second- and third-line midfield and attack units.

In the final seconds of the second quarter, Staats flipped a cross-crease pass to Daly. The fourth-year midfielder took five steps past Statesmen defender Grant Soucy and bounced a side-arm shot across his body for his first goal of the season and second in three years.

Desko praised the talent and depth of his senior group, and unfamiliar faces Chris Swanson, Bobby Tait and Mike Iacono got time on the field in their regular-season Carrier Dome finales.

“It was a reward for their hard work,” Desko said. “… For these other guys to get some time was really icing on the cake.”





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