GENEVA, N.Y. — No. 2 SU (8-1, 3-0 Atlantic Coast) never trailed and captured its fourth consecutive Kraus-Simmons trophy with a 17-11 thumping of unranked Hobart (4-6, 1-1 Northeast) in the 103rd game between the two schools, played at Boswell Field. Three Orange players — Nick Mariano, Nate Solomon and Brendan Bomberry — scored hat tricks as SU finally snapped its program-record stretch of seven consecutive one-goal games.

Here are three fast reactions to the game.

Warm welcome

The Orange team bus was egged on its way to the field. But SU had its say very quickly, scoring 39 seconds into the game and again 84 seconds later. Hobart made a run but the Orange carried a 4-3 lead after one quarter.

Syracuse tried to pull away, scoring the first three goals of the second quarter, but the Statesmen never relented. The chirps carried onto the field when sophomore attack Solomon scored early in the second quarter. Pushing ensued and referees assessed Solomon a minute-long unsportsmanlike penalty. Solomon did not play for the rest of the half.

As Syracuse opened up its largest lead of the night, five goals, late in the third quarter, about half of Hobart’s student section remained. The wearing white sweaters, the group managed a meek, “I believe we will win,” with their team down 13-8. At the sound, two Syracuse players on the sideline turned and nodded their heads.

Syracuse has five on it

The Orange dominated the Statesmen on man-up opportunities en route to finishing a season-best 5-for-5.

Nick Mariano, who scored four total goals, managed a hat trick on the extra man itself. His most important of the day came with 3:17 to go in the third quarter, about three minutes after his second tally on the extra man, when his rocket from about 10 yards out found twine and gave SU its largest lead of the day at that point in a 13-8 game.

Matt Lane, recently demoted from the first midfield line for freshman Jamie Trimboli, helped control the pace from up top but did not look to shoot. Mariano found Trimboli on the extra man early in the fourth to stop a two-goal Hobart run and Bomberry’s goal 15 seconds later delivered Syracuse back its five-goal lead, one the Orange would never relinquish.

Nick Mariano ties career high with seven points

The senior tied his career high of seven points (four goals, three assists) on Wednesday night, thriving two weeks after SU head coach John Desko flopped him from attack to midfield with Brendan Bomberry.

The switch enabled Mariano to draw a short-stick defensive midfielder all night long. The Statesmen rarely switched and Mariano made them pay with his best showing since the season-opener against Siena.

Published on April 5, 2017 at 9:26 pm

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