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The Daily OrangeTWO FOR THE AGES: Syracuse wins 2nd-straight national title in overtime after magical 4th-quarter comeback
By Conor Orr
Posted: 5/25/09, 3:37 PM EST Section: Sports
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His face, a smeared canvas of blood and eye black, welled with tears as he gripped the national championship trophy in his right hand and demanded to see his head coach.
"Where's Desko?" Nims said. "I'm going to bring him the trophy. I'm going to bring it to him."
Figuratively, it was a symbolic gesture from one in a group of All-American seniors to a head coach. Nims had brought him the trophy as a token of appreciation for the last four years. But literally, Nims had earned John Desko the trophy that day. Without a stunning play by Nims to cap an improbable comeback, the Orange's fortunes would be different.
With four seconds remaining in regulation, Nims scored on a desperation pass from midfielder Matt Abbott, eliminating a three-goal deficit in a little more than three minutes and sending the game into overtime. The shot eventually propelled the Orange (16-2) to a thrilling 10-9 victory over Cornell (13-4) in the national championship game here Monday at Gillette Stadium in front of 41,935 fans. Cody Jamieson had the game-winner 1:40 into overtime.
It was the team's second-consecutive championship and record-breaking 11th in program history.
"It meant so much for him to bring me that trophy," Desko said. "He made a great play that put us in a position to win us the game. He's the guy. If someone is going to make it happen, it's him."
Then, it was a scene of pure ecstasy, with the memory of late-game heroics still lingering in the stadium.
But just seven minutes beforehand, the Orange was running out of time, the feeling of desperation grew ever-apparent. With a little more than three minutes to play in regulation, the team trailed, 9-6. Nims, SU's leading scorer, was in a vice-grip - locked down by the stingy Cornell defense and held scoreless. The Orange needed a shot in the arm.
As the Big Red fans grew louder, the Orange brought them back to their seats with a quick-strike goal at the 3:37 mark. Dan Hardy lofted the ball to attack Stephen Keogh, who spiked it between the posts and put the team within two.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
Martha Ortiz
posted 5/25/09 @ 4:17 PM EST
GO, ORANGE!!! GOOD WAY TO FINISH UP THE SEASON...AND THE SCHOOL YEAR!! CASSIE WAS SPREADING HER ORANGE LOVE IN PERSON -- SHE GAVE ME THE GOOD NEWS!! (WISH I WERE THERE, TOO!) CONGRATULATIONS (AGAIN), ANG GO ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!
Martha (Cassie's mom) ;)
Tung Pham
posted 5/25/09 @ 7:08 PM EST
Congratulations to the Syracuse men's Lacrosse team.
It was a great game!
John Winthrop
posted 5/25/09 @ 10:39 PM EST
Have not watched an SU lacrosse game in person since 1962, and that was in Archbold Stadium!
But I sure was watching today here in California
as SU rose up to SHUT DOWN the Big Red
machine in OT, looking every bit like the champions they are. (Continued…)
GRANT
posted 5/26/09 @ 6:08 AM EST
ANOTHER STORYBOOK CHAPTER IN THE CONTINUING LEGEND OF ORANGE LACROSSE IS WRITTEN AND THE LACROSSE WORLD STANDS IN AWE ONCE MORE! TALK ABOUT KARDIAC KIDS~~~THE SUN ROSE ORANGE TO OPEN THE DECADE IN 2000 AND SETS ORANGE IN 2009 TO CLOSE OUT A REMARKABLE 10 YEARS!
bill3801
Bill Robinson
posted 5/26/09 @ 11:42 AM EST
Spectacular game! Great lacrosse program and a great group of guys.
Califcuse
posted 5/26/09 @ 12:02 PM EST
God must be Orange.... at least He was for the Miracle on Memorial Day!!
muggsy
Greg Brown
posted 5/26/09 @ 4:02 PM EST
My wife and I lived in Syracuse in the early 80s when she was a grad student there. And because Hamilton College, my alma mater, was a lacrosse school, I was big into Syracuse lax and have followed it ever since. (Continued…)
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