Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMLAX | Syracuse overcomes sloppy play en route to 9th straight win
By Andy McCullough
Posted: 4/18/08, 11:06 PM EST Section: Sports
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Friday was a chance for that: a night game against an in-state rival (Albany) combined with an overeager offense that produced more turnovers (21) than shots on goal (20) facing a talented goaltender (Brett Queener).
Seems like a recipe for an upset. Or, at least, a bit of a scare.
"We had some turnovers," SU head coach John Desko said afterward. "And I don't think we were as sharp or as crisp as we have been in a few games."
But did it matter? Nope. Was it ever close? Try again.
The Orange (11-1) still scrapped its way to a 10-5 win against the Great Danes (5-7), jumping out to a 5-2 lead in the first quarter and shuffling towards the finish line in fits and starts. With the win, Syracuse stays on track for the second seed in the NCAA tournament, just two weeks away.
The defense did its part. John Galloway recuperated well from a disappointing performance last Saturday against Rutgers. His 14 saves kept Albany - playing without leading scorer Corey Small - at bay and made sure it was never really that close
Still, it was a scuffling sort of game, the kind Syracuse had avoided most of this season. The Orange had a few earlier in the season, an 8-7 win over Army, a 9-8 double overtime thriller against Georgetown. Since then, it's been mostly smooth sailing. Nine wins in a row with the offense (13.65 goals per game before Friday) acting as the turbine and generator.
So for the first time since that Georgetown game, the Syracuse offense sputtered, as if a mechanic had left a wrench in its engine following a week-long inspection. The constants were there: senior attack Mike Leveille tallied a hat trick while senior midfielder Steven Brooks and junior attack Kenny Nims each notched two goals and an assist.
Besides that, the offense struggled. Syracuse had to resort to grunt work to pick up most of its scores, crashing the net and back-checking to disrupt Albany's clears to pounce on turnovers.
"Sometimes when you don't play as clean a game as you'd like, you pick it up in just hard work," said Evan Brady, senior defender and tri-captain. "Ground balls, riding, and just doing the little things."
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