Syracuse 13 - Binghamton 5: Mariano Leads Orange Over Bearcats

The Syracuse Orange got off to a nice start against the Binghamton Bearcats. For the first 36:35 of play, SU put up 10 goals while holding BU scoreless; an incredible feat against any team. The Orange had a great, complete win versus UNC last weekend and it looked like SU didn't miss a step on Wednesday.

Nick Mariano got things started at just over a minute into the game. Dylan Donahue elevated from goal line extended, up the wing, rolled back and took a shot which Tanner Cosens saved. The rebound, however, got away from Cosens which Mariano was able to snag and turn into a goal (1-0 SU). Just over a minute later, Tim Barber came up from below cage and was able to bury one (2-0 SU). With 7:26 left in the quarter, Derek DeJoe hit Donahue on the top corner who sent a quick pass to Jordan Evans for a deep score (3-0 SU). With 15 seconds remaining, Mariano dodged from the alley, easily beating his short stick defender and putting away his second of four goals on the day (4-0 SU). Ben Williams won the ensuing faceoff and drove right to the cage but put the shot right in the stick of Cosens to end the quarter with SU up 4-0.

Syracuse followed up the first quarter with a scoring drought that lasted over ten minutes. During that time, Binghamton's defense played very well and Cosens backed them up nicely. Cosens had five saves in the second quarter and 14 overall through 56:23 minutes of play. Matt Lane ended the scoreless streak at 4:17 in the second with a rocket from outside that hit the crossbar and crossed the goal line (5-0 SU). Just over a minute later it was Sergio Salcido who took a low-to-low shot that beat Cosens (6-0 SU). Right off the next faceoff, Ben Williams won the draw and took it straight to the house faking the pass and going opposite side low (7-0 SU). It was the first well placed shot I can remember Williams taking all year. He went 12 for 15 at the faceoff X with three groundballs. With three goals in one minute and nine seconds, Syracuse was not done in the period. Dylan Donahue got back-to-back goals in the final two minutes of the half. The first was a beautiful goal, Jordan Evans from behind cage hit Donahue on the opposite crease who batted in the pass (8-0 SU). On the next one Donahue reversed behind cage, drove up and around the cage and swept around the top of the crease before going opposite side, low (9-0 SU).

The half finished with Syracuse up 9-0 on Binghamton. The starting Syracuse defense looked fantastic. Slides were quick, the defense gave up nearly nothing on the inside and the midfielders held tight on their marks. The craziest statistic from the first half had to be that Binghamton had just two of 11 shots get on net. That being said, barring the final 4:17 of the first half, this would have only been a 4-0 game.

It took until 12:06 remaining in the third for either team to get a second half goal. Salcido drove from behind cage and with his defender tripping up and hitting the deck, Salcido was able to get an unguarded shot off (10-0 SU). Finally, Binghamton got a goal at 8:25 in the third after Matt Kaser was able to catch a pass in traffic, inside, while being well guarded (10-1 SU). After a nice game, Evan Molloy was replaced in net by Warren Hill. Molloy played just over 38 minutes with one goal against and making four saves. Sean Gilroy sent a deep one past Hill with 3:39 remaining in the third to get the Bearcats offense rolling (10-2 SU). Gilroy's shot was tipped by a Syracuse stick, throwing a curve ball at Hill. Nick Mariano was able to get his third of the day with just 14 seconds left in the period. Mariano pulled a 360 on his defender after elevating from goal line extended, giving him just enough separation to get the shot off (11-2 SU). Off of the ensuing faceoff, Williams took the matchup and took it straight to cage. He released his shot, which Cosens saved, and was hit very hard by long-pole Salvatore Fama after the shot. Williams stayed on the ground and the trainers rushed to him. He was able to walk off on his own and looked fine on the sidelines but he did not return. Fama received a one-minute unnecessary roughness penalty for the hit.

Mariano grabbed his fourth of the game just fifteen seconds into the fourth on the man-up goal. Salcido hit up Mariano with a cross-field pass which Mariano grabbed as he sat on the doorstep and put it away (12-2 SU). Nick Solomon got himself on the score sheet with 9:10 to go in the game, sending a pass from behind cage to Nick Piroli (13-2 SU). It would be the final goal of the game for Syracuse.

Tyler Avallone replaced Hill in net for the last 6:35 of the game. Hill gave up one goal and made three saves. He looked pretty good in the fifteen minutes or so that he played. Avallone, meanwhile gave up three goals with no saves, although coming into a game cold is a tough spot to be in. Thomas McAndrew got himself a goal in an unsettled situation off of a Syracuse turnover followed up by Mitchell Rick snagging a goal just off the crease to leave the score 13-4 Syracuse. Just one minute later, during an extended groundball battle, SU picked up three penalties. The two, 30 second pushing flags and the cross-checking call left the Orange three men down, giving Sean Gilroy an easy opportunity to score ten seconds into the EMO (13-5 SU). The Orange were able to ride out the remaining 1:28 of the game, finishing with a 13-5 win over Binghamton.

As I mentioned, Mariano put up four goals, but he also had an assist. The UMass transfer took 12 shots on the day. Dylan Donahue and Tim Barber each had three points in the game, with Donahue continuing his goal and point-scoring streak for another day. Sergio Salcido has now had at least a point in every game except for the Cornell loss. His two goals Wednesday was his eighth multi-goal game of the year. The Orange only turned the ball over seven times versus Binghamton, a very good sign moving forward. While the entire defense played well, Brandon Mullins had himself a day. The senior snagged a season high four caused turnovers and picked up four groundballs.

There aren't many negatives to point out from this mid-week contest, and the Orange will now prepare to play North Carolina in the first round of the ACC Tournament.