Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMLAX NOTEBOOK | Niewieroski scored career-high five goals, most by SU player in game this season
By Kelvin Ang and Mark Medina
Posted: 4/10/07, 11:32 PM EST Section: Sports
|
Niewieroski's five goals represent the highest single-game total any Syracuse player has tallied this season. He took six shots, and five of them found the back of the net.
"(The up-and-down style of play) created some more opportunities sometimes that we capitalized on," Niewieroski said. "We got some big goals."
Syracuse head coach John Desko also praised his team's offensive outburst. Desko said the Orange finally played close to what he knows it is capable of.
"I liked the pace of the game," Desko said. "I think the players did, too. They like to play that way."
Not over 'til it's over
Desko walked into the Carrier Dome on Monday, and he didn't need to blow the whistle. His players had already suited up long before the head coach arrived.
That eagerness carried through the rest of the practice. Desko couldn't recall having to raise his voice one bit. Despite the loss on Tuesday, Desko knows if the Orange wins out, the positive attitude will have to be present.
"It's not like I get to practice and guys are hanging around and thinking, 'Woe is me,'" Desko said. "I sensed a great attitude and it was a great place to start. They were all ears and we came back and saw film. They were very attentive. Anything they can be doing on their part, they've been doing it."
After Syracuse's loss to Princeton on Saturday, SU huddled up and addressed the need for quality practices for the rest of the season. Desko said players held players-only meetings similar to last year when SU started off 1-4.
"We were excited for this game," Syracuse sophomore midfielder Pat Perritt said. "It's a night game in the Dome and it doesn't get much better than this. We're playing in the best country to play the No. 1 team in the country. Right after the Princeton game everyone wanted to get out there and get this game under way."
The right attitude may be there, but Syracuse is in a deep hole. It is in risk of failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Now it has to win its last four games.
"We've been frustrated with (the losing)," Desko said. "The last couple of days of practice we've been with it and I think it showed in our attitude tonight. We talked to the guys and said we have to win out. But right now it's not winning out. It's one game at a time as it has been."
Still a marked opponent
Cornell head coach Jeff Tambroni knows he hasn't seen enough of Syracuse's games to understand fully why a usual powerhouse stands at 3-6.
But he knows that part of the problem is Syracuse's reputation causes opponents to circle the Orange on their calendar and focus more on SU. He admits that his team didn't prepare for its game against SU for two days, but rather eight months.
"They have a lot of talent," Tambroni said. "I would say probably one of the criteria goes to it is that they get everybody's best game no matter if they're No. 1 in the country or No. 17 in the country. I knew we were excited. If you asked our guys, they thought they were playing the No. 1 team in the country."
Be the first to comment on this story