Spring Break
The Daily OrangeNims' man-down goal ignites crucial 2nd-quarter rally
By John Clayton
Posted: 5/26/08, 8:26 PM EST Section: Sports
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Dave Pietramala knew when the momentum, parked for the first 20 minutes of Saturday's contest so firmly with his Johns Hopkins team, finally switched.
The Blue Jays, up a pair of goals in the second quarter, had a man-up opportunity and chance to seize control. Instead, it was Syracuse attack Kenny Nims who turned the tide of the contest.
On a transition the other way, Nims took a feed from fellow attack Mike Leveille and roofed a right-handed shot from the left alley.
It was the first man-down goal stingy Hopkins had given up all year. It was also perhaps the most important strike of Syracuse's 13-10 national championship win over the Blue Jays Monday here at Gillette Stadium.
"When you give up a man-up goal or the other scores a man-down goal, it's a momentum builder or a momentum stealer," Pietramala said. "What you can do is bounce back."
Hopkins failed to do just that.
Nims' tally was part of a second quarter in which Syracuse took hold of the game - outscoring Hopkins 4-1 and counteracting a first quarter effort when SU had gotten bogged down in the Jays plodding, possession-oriented style.
The score spawned a four-goal run during the second and third quarters that helped SU take a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
"I honestly think that play was bigger than people realize," midfielder Jovan Miller said. "It was a play where I don't think anybody was really expecting us to get such a big opportunity, and we capitalized on it."
Before that goal, Syracuse had been playing right into Hopkins' hands. The Orange had staggered through the first quarter while the Jays controlled the ball - much the same way they had two days earlier when they neutralized Duke's vaunted attack in a 10-9 upset.
When SU had the ball, it was far from efficient. The majority of the Orange's shots were either wide or funneled harmlessly into sophomore goalie Michael Gvozden, who had eight first-quarter saves.
The Blue Jays, up a pair of goals in the second quarter, had a man-up opportunity and chance to seize control. Instead, it was Syracuse attack Kenny Nims who turned the tide of the contest.
On a transition the other way, Nims took a feed from fellow attack Mike Leveille and roofed a right-handed shot from the left alley.
It was the first man-down goal stingy Hopkins had given up all year. It was also perhaps the most important strike of Syracuse's 13-10 national championship win over the Blue Jays Monday here at Gillette Stadium.
"When you give up a man-up goal or the other scores a man-down goal, it's a momentum builder or a momentum stealer," Pietramala said. "What you can do is bounce back."
Hopkins failed to do just that.
Nims' tally was part of a second quarter in which Syracuse took hold of the game - outscoring Hopkins 4-1 and counteracting a first quarter effort when SU had gotten bogged down in the Jays plodding, possession-oriented style.
The score spawned a four-goal run during the second and third quarters that helped SU take a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
"I honestly think that play was bigger than people realize," midfielder Jovan Miller said. "It was a play where I don't think anybody was really expecting us to get such a big opportunity, and we capitalized on it."
Before that goal, Syracuse had been playing right into Hopkins' hands. The Orange had staggered through the first quarter while the Jays controlled the ball - much the same way they had two days earlier when they neutralized Duke's vaunted attack in a 10-9 upset.
When SU had the ball, it was far from efficient. The majority of the Orange's shots were either wide or funneled harmlessly into sophomore goalie Michael Gvozden, who had eight first-quarter saves.
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