Live Video
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Orange men’s lacrosse team will conclude its preseason schedule on Saturday, Feb. 7, with an exhibition match against the Harvard Crimson at 12 p.m. The scrimmage kicks off the second annual “Gary Gait Laxapalooza” at the Carrier Dome.
Admission for the scrimmage and Laxapalooza is free of charge. The lacrosse extravaganza features a host of other events, one of which is a youth clinic that will get underway at 3:30 p.m. There will also be a shooting demonstration with SU women’s head coach Gary Gait and former Orange All-American and 2008 Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee Tom Marechek.
Live streaming video of Saturday’s scrimmage will be available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All Access.
ABOUT THE ORANGE
Syracuse defeated Hofstra and Le Moyne each by the score of 13-6 on Jan. 29 in its first preseason outing. Attackmen Kenny Nims (Watertown, N.Y.) and Tim Desko (Syracuse, N.Y.) powered the Orange offense as each registered nine points during the two-game event at the Carrier Dome. Desko, a redshirt freshman, led all scorers with seven goals. Nims, a preseason second-team All-American, netted five for the Orange, including a team-high three goals in the contest against Hofstra.
Senior midfielder Dan Hardy (Tully, N.Y.) dished out five assists, leading the Orange in that statistical category. Also a second-team preseason All-America selection, Hardy should figure heavily into the team’s offensive plans as the second-leading scorer returning from the 2008 national championship squad.
In addition to Desko’s offensive output, Syracuse also got production from other young players. Rookie attackman Ryan Barber (Syracuse, N.Y.) and freshman midfielder Bobby Eilers (Simsbury, Conn.) each tallied a goal in the team’s exhibition against Hofstra. Freshman long pole Joe Moore (Plainsboro, N.J.) saw plenty of runs against both teams as sophomore Joel White’s (Cortland, N.Y.) primary backup.
Saturday’s scrimmage is geared toward preparing the team for a grueling regular-season schedule, which includes matches against four participants from the 2008 NCAA Tournament, as well as eight members of the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top 20, a poll that has the Orange at No. 2.
SCOUTING HARVARD
Harvard was listed as high as No. 19 in the Inside Lacrosse rankings last season. The Crimson finished the year with a 6-8 record and returns its top five scorers from 2008, as well as senior goaltender Joe Pike, who made 111 saves a season ago.
Junior midfielder Jason Duboe is the team’s leading returning scorer from last season with 32 points, including 26 goals. Following the year, Duboe was recognized as a first-team All-Ivy League selection.
The Crimson also boasts two of the nation’s most-coveted freshmen. Attackman Jeff Cohen was ranked as the No. 4 recruit in the Inside Lacrosse Power 100, while defenseman Daniel DiMaria falls within the top 20 at No. 16.
A LOOK AHEAD
Following its final scrimmage against Harvard, the Orange will begin the 2009 regular season on Sunday, Feb. 15 against Providence. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at Carrier Dome. It’s the first of 14 regular-season games for the Orange, 10 of which will be played at home.