May 24, 2008

Syracuse Downs Virginia 12-11 in Double Overtime

FOXBOROUGH, MASS--Mike Leveille's fifth goal of the game with 1:43 remaining in the second overtime period lifted Syracuse to a 12-11 win over Virginia this afternoon in the first semifinal game of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament.

Leveille's goal capped a remarkable comeback by the Orange, who rallied from a 5-goal second half deficit to advance to Monday's final against the winner of the second semifinal contest between Duke and Johns Hopkins. Syracuse's win ended a 5-game series winning streak by the Cavaliers and knotted the all-time series at 12 wins apiece. Syracuse improves to 15-2 overall this season, while Virginia concludes its season with a 14-4 record.

Danny Glading led the Cavaliers with three goals and one assist, the second time in three playoff games he was the team's leading scorer.

Virginia erased an early 3-2 Syracuse lead with five consecutive goals over nearly 14 minutes spanning the first and second quarters. Will Barrow tied the score at two with a marvelous coast-to-coast run that culminated with his seventh goal of the season with 6:52 remaining in the first quarter. Max Pomper followed a short time later to give the Cavaliers a 3-2 lead.

Glading and Brian Carroll opened the second quarter with quick goals and Garrett Billings pushed the Cavalier lead to 6-2 with 8:02 left in the first half. Syracuse's Kenny Nims scored in the final minute of the first half as Virginia took a 6-3 lead to the locker room at the break.

Virginia's lead grew to 8-3 midway through the third quarter behind goals from Glading and Rhamel Bratton.

Duke Falls To Johns Hopkins In NCAA Semifinals, 10-9

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The Duke men's lacrosse team fell to Johns Hopkins, 10-9, in NCAA Tournament semifinal action at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Saturday afternoon.

Duke ends the 2008 season at 18-2, while Johns Hopkins advances to the NCAA Championship game to face Syracuse.

Johns Hopkins took a 1-0 lead as Kevin Huntley scored on an assist from Michael Kimmel at 6:55.

Zack Greer scored on a feed from Matt Danowski at 4:07 to put the score at 1-1 before Max Quinzani netted a goal on a pass from Greer with 44.5 seconds left in the first period as the Blue Devils converted an extra-man opportunity. Quinzani's goal marked his 60th of the year, as he and Greer became the first set of teammates in NCAA history to each score 60 or more goals in a season.

Brian Christopher knotted the score at 2-2 on an unassisted tally with 9:14 remaining in the second period and Steven Boyle scored at 5:35 to give the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead. Huntley scored on a pass from Boyle 14 seconds later to increase Johns Hopkins' lead to 4-2.

Duke was held scoreless in the second quarter, marking just the fourth time this season the Blue Devils went without a tally in a period. Duke's two first half goals matched its lowest output in half in 2008, equaling the two markers scored in the second half against Georgetown on March 22.