Feb. 17, 2008

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - In the season opener for both teams, No. 9 Syracuse (1-0) used a fast start to defeat Villanova (0-1) by a score of 21-6 on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,252 in the Carrier Dome. The Orange scored the game's first 10 goals in the first quarter and never looked back along the way to the victory.

Senior Jay Foley (Montauk, N.Y.) scored three goals and added an assist to lead the Wildcats offensively. Two of his scores came on man-up opportunities, including a tally at the 9:17 mark of the second quarter to get Villanova onto the scoreboard for the first time.

After getting blanked in the first quarter, the Wildcats netted a pair of goals in the second period, three in the third quarter and one in the final frame. Syracuse owned a 40-28 edge in shots, including a 25-12 margin in the first half.

Greg Niewieroski scored the first goal of the game just 13 seconds into the contest and the Orange eventually scored six goals in a span of 3:53 in the opening quarter to take charge of the game. Syracuse won 19-of-31 face-offs in the contest, picked up 35 ground balls and went 4-of-7 on extra-man opportunities. Villanova totaled 28 ground balls and was 2-of-8 playing one man up.

The three goals by Foley were nearly half his career total of seven entering the day. Junior Tim Driscoll (Montville, N.J.) added two scores for the Wildcats and classmate Tim Langan, Jr. (Madison, N.J.) accounted for the final tally. Langan also had an assist and freshman Chris Aitken (Haverford, Pa.) dished out two helpers in his collegiate debut.

Juniors Andrew DiLoreto (Wilton, Conn.) and Mike Bogdanor (Clarksville, Md.) split time in goal for Villanova, with DiLoreto starting and playing the first three quarters. He made seven saves while surrendering 18 goals and Bogdanor tallied one save while allowing three goals in the fourth period.

Kenny Nims scored four of his game-high six goals in the first half for the Orange before adding his final two tallies 41 seconds apart in the third period. Dan Hardy netted three goals and Mike Leveille contributed two goals and four assists for Syracuse, which received goals from 11 different players.

John Galloway made five saves and allowed the first two Wildcat goals in the first half to record the win in goal.

Villanova returns home on Friday at 4 p.m. to play its home opener against Lafayette.

NOTES: The Orange won the only prior meeting between the schools, 19-8, in 1991.