WASHINGTON – Josh Knight had never competed against a faceoff player like Georgetown’s Dan Vinson.

Knight, the Syracuse midfielder, couldn’t matchup against the Hoyas’ Vinson; a smaller, quicker player who dominated Syracuse at the X.

‘The faceoffs definitely affected our game, Knight, a sophomore said. ‘If we would have played better on the X and would have got more shots and goals.’

Despite Syracuse’s faceoff woes losing at the X 12-5, the Orange (3-1) edged the Hoyas 8-5 Saturday here at Multi-Sport Field. Winning faceoffs helped Georgetown (1-2) maintain possession, but performances from Syracuse goalie John Galloway and the rest of the Syracuse defense prevented the Hoyas from scoring consistently giving the Orange the win.

Syracuse head coach John Desko tried out several players to take faceoffs, hoping someone could figure out how to stop Vinson.

The faceoff shuffle was caused by the loss of regular faceoff specialist Jake Moulton, who took most of the faceoffs during Syracuse’s first three games. Molton had a 50 percent win rate at the X. But, this week in practice, Moulton injured his hand and will be out for the rest of the season. In Moulton’s absence Knight took the first faceoff of the game.

‘When we lost Jake Moulton last week, we knew we were in trouble,’ Syracuse head coach John Desko said.

Besides Knight, Desko also tried Tim Harder and Stephen Keogh to face Vinson at the X.

‘I’ve never gone against anybody like that it was definitely a new type of move,’ Knight said about Vinson’s faceoff technique that proved so successful. ‘Not so much as a group, but individually I need to step up my game.’

Knight said Vinson used a style of clamp, a way of holding the stick, that made him push more, and he would then snap down on the ball and bring his hand back. Other faceoff players Knight had previously played against would snap forward and bring their hands back. Knight, a bigger player, said Vinson used his quickness to beat him out for the ground balls while at the X.

In the first half, Syracuse managed just one faceoff win and went into halftime with a one-goal lead. Georgetown’s success at faceoffs helped the Hoyas slowed down the game.

‘On the other end of the field when they are winning faceoffs, you have to roll up your sleeves and go to work even though you know its not going to be easy,’ Desko said. ‘We were 1-5 on faceoffs in the first half so we knew we had to change something.’

Syracuse’s fast-paced offense and solid defense won the game for the Orange even though it kept losing the faceoffs. In the third quarter, Syracuse started shooting more. Each team scored four goals, leaving Syracuse up one. But in the final quarter, the Orange pulled away, scoring two goals on nine shots.

Galloway carried the team to victory throughout the Hoyas’ long possessions by making 19 saves and allowing only five goals. The Syracuse defense held Georgetown attack far away from the goal, forcing them to shoot from 15 yards out. Galloway easily saved the weak shots.

The Syracuse offense did not tailor its play to its misfortunes at the faceoff, continuing to take fast shots. Syracuse barely held possession throughout the game, but made the shots they did take count, and scored three more times than the Hoyas.

‘Georgetown scored three, four times in a row due to possession,’ midfielder Matt Abbott said. ‘They beat us pretty handily on faceoffs today. We have to get on ground balls. … It’s something we’ve got to work on, but we won the game so that’s what matters.’

mkgalant@syr.edu

Published on March 7, 2009 at 12:00 pm