SYRACUSE, N.Y. - No. 1 Syracuse concludes the 2011 regular-season on Saturday, May 7 with a 1 p.m. matchup versus St. John's at the Carrier Dome. The Orange can clinch its second straight outright BIG EAST regular-season title with a victory against the Red Storm. The Orange has won its last four games since losing to Cornell on April 12 and comes into the game with a 13-1 overall record and a 5-0 conference mark. St. John's is 4-9 overall and 2-3 in the BIG EAST.
Tickets are available online at SUathletics.com, over the phone (1-888-DOMETIX), or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office during normal business hours. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 12 and under. 'Cuse Kids Club members get in free with their membership card. Parking is $10.
The game will be televised live in the Syracuse area on Time Warner Sports and simulcast on SportsNet New York (SNY). Fans can also hear the action live on the radio home of the Orange - TK 99 (99.5 FM). Live streaming video and audio are available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access.
SENIOR DAY AT THE DOME
Fifteen members of the Orange program will be honored prior to the St. John's game in a short ceremony as part of Senior Day. Players Josh Amidon, Tim Desko, John Galloway, Joe Giarrusso, Jeff Gilbert, Alex Giocondi, Thomas Guadagnolo, Tim Harder, Stephen Keogh, Josh Knight, John Lade, Jovan Miller, Jeremy Thompson, and Joel White will be introduced individually before the start of the game, as well as senior manager/video coordinator Sam Evans.
ABOUT THE 2011 SENIOR CLASS
The 2011 Orange senior class is one of the most successful and influential groups in program history. Below are some of their achievements:
• Winners of back-to-back NCAA national championships (2008, 2009).
• Two-time BIG EAST regular-season champions (2010, 2011).
• Winningest class in school history with 58 victories. Overall record currently stands at 58-7.
• Undefeated all-time in BIG EAST play (11-0).
• Seven 2010 USILA All-Americans (Amidon, Galloway, Keogh, Lade, Miller, Thompson, White).
• Seven 2011 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) draft picks (Amidon, Galloway, Keogh, Lade, Miller, Thompson, White).
• Two USILA position players of the year (2010: Galloway - Goalkeeper, White - Midfielder).
• One Tewaaraton Award finalist (White - 2010).
TWICE IS DEFINITELY NICE
Syracuse became just the fifth Division I school to beat the nation's top-ranked team twice in the same season with its 11-8 victory against Notre Dame on April 30. The Orange joins Johns Hopkins, Duke, Virginia and Cornell as teams that have achieved the feat. In addition to knocking off the Irish, Syracuse defeated top-ranked Virginia, 12-10, back on March 4.
Virginia, Duke and Johns Hopkins have both turned the trick twice. However, Syracuse (2011), Johns Hopkins (1995, 2002) and Virginia (1996) are the only teams to do it in the regular season.
THE CLEARING GAME
The Orange is one of the best clearing teams in the country. Syracuse's success rate is 91.1 percent (275-302). Over the last four games, it's been even better with the Orange failing just three clears (.962, 77-80). Against Notre Dame, Syracuse was successful on all 23 of its clearing opportunities, the first time it's been perfect in that area this season. By comparison, Syracuse's opponents are 227-for-284 clearing the ball in 2011, good for a 79.9 percent success rate.
LADE TIES SCHOOL RECORD
Senior John Lade had one of the best games of his career in Syracuse's 11-8 win versus Notre Dame on April 30. The Randolph, N.J. product tied Joel White's single-game record by causing six turnovers against the Irish. Lade also contributed three ground balls and held Notre Dame leading scorer Sean Rogers to just one goal. For the performance, Lade was named the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the first time this season.
SCOUTING THE RED STORM
St. John's has lost three in a row since knocking off Providence, 9-6, on April 9, including a 14-7 home loss to Drexel on April 30 in its most recent outing. The Red Storm is averaging 8.54 goals per game and has been fairly successful on man-up, scoring on 36.8 percent of its opportunities (21-57). Defensively, St. John's is giving up 9.77 goals per outing.
The duo of Kevin Cernuto (22g, 17a) and Kieran McArdle (20g, 18a) drive the Red Storm offense. Cernuto and McArdle have combined for 37.8 percent (42-111) of the team's goals and 54.7 percent (35-64) of the team's assists. No other St. John's player has more than 12 goals or nine assists.
Goalie Jeff Lowman has started all 13 games in the cage and leads the Red Storm defense. Lowman has 164 saves and ranks second nationally in saves per game (12.62). His save percentage is .567, which ranks 10th in the country. LSM Dillon Ayers leads the Red Storm in ground balls (53) and caused turnovers (18). Ayers also has three assists.
THE SYRACUSE-ST. JOHN'S SERIES
The Orange has won the previous three meetings with the Red Storm by the combined score of 65-21. Syracuse walloped St. John's, 26-9, on its way to the 1990 NCAA Championship and an undefeated season. The following year, the Orange came away with a 24-5 road victory. Last season, Syracuse posted a 15-7 decision in their first meeting as members of the BIG EAST.
UP NEXT
The NCAA will announce the pairings for the upcoming men's lacrosse championship on Sunday, May 8 live at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
