The Syracuse Orange desperately clung on to their title as defending national champions. Kenny Nims knocked the ball from the stick of the Cornell midfielder. A scrum for the ball swept to the center of the field. A swarm of red and orange jerseys fought for possession as precious seconds ticked away. Then Steven Keogh flew into the picture. Cornell closed on him. Eleven seconds left. Keogh flicked a feed over his back to the streaking Matt Abbott. The All-American used every inch of his reach advantage to snag the ball in full stride. Cornell closed on him. Eight seconds left. Ticking.
Abbott turns and tosses the ball over his head toward the cage where he knows his buddy Kenny Nims must be open. The ball deflects, but Nims grabs it. Five seconds left. Nims falls just outside the crease. Cornell goalie Jake Myers rushes out. Nims goes lateral and sends the ball into the back of the cage. 4.5 seconds to go. Game tied 9-9. The stadium erupts in cheers. The sound system pulses music loud enough to be heard on Cape Cod. No one can believe what their eyes told them just happened. Not the fans. Not Cornell. Not even Coach John Desko. But, the Syracuse players...that's a different story.
When you're team is down one goal with 27 seconds to play and the other team controls the ball - no one person can single handedly win a lacrosse game. It requires the near instinctual reactions cultivated through years of practice. It demands trust among teammates. They must all believe their singular actions will add up to a sum greater than its parts. That is precisely what occurred at Gillette Stadium Monday afternoon before an announced crowd of 41,000 lacrosse fans.
The Cornell Big Red was the better team for 56 minutes on Monday. When the lead reached three goals at 9-6 Cornell regained possession and seemed poised to use their disciplined attack to give Coach Jeff Tambroni his first national title. From the stands I was not alone in expressing the fear Syracuse was done. Yet, the game turned in those final four minutes as Syracuse turned up the defensive intensity and suddenly dominated the face offs.
That gave the loaded Orange offense every chance to catch up, tie and then win the game in overtime. That's right aside from the miraculous game tying goal there were the goals by Cody Jamison. One to close the gap, the other to close the deal shortly into overtime. He didn't do it alone either. He had assists first from Josh Amidon and next from Dan Hardy. Before the ball ever got to them there were defensive plays from Cody's buddy Sid Smith. Teamwork. Closeness. Trust and belief.
After the game Coach Desko told me he wasn't sure how it all unfolded. He admitted he would have to watch the tape to really know. The naked eye was not enough. Even all the cameras and whiz bang graphics of ESPN, Dave Ryan's passionate call and Quint Kessenich's analysis failed to make us understand how the final seconds of regulation could have possible happened. But, the players... they know. They know how to win when everyone else has given up.
An hour after the game those newly crowned national champions walked from the mammoth stadium to a parking lot of tailgaters decked out in orange. Each player worn a new gray Nike t-shirt with Legacy printed on the front and a giant orange block S on the back. Without numbers they were hardly distinguishable from one to the next except to their mothers and fathers who waited for once in a lifetime hugs. The kind where a son looks in his father's eyes to say, "I did it, Dad", without the words being spoken.
It suddenly became apparent where the bond begins. The trust of family, friends and tradition. There's no other way to explain how two over the back passes and one lunging swipe toward the goal could possibly add up to that once in a lifetime goal that has found its place in the eternal lore of Syracuse University Athletics.
You can always read the blog on CNYcentral.com.
Follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/mattmulcahy
or
Find me on Facebook.com
Abbott turns and tosses the ball over his head toward the cage where he knows his buddy Kenny Nims must be open. The ball deflects, but Nims grabs it. Five seconds left. Nims falls just outside the crease. Cornell goalie Jake Myers rushes out. Nims goes lateral and sends the ball into the back of the cage. 4.5 seconds to go. Game tied 9-9. The stadium erupts in cheers. The sound system pulses music loud enough to be heard on Cape Cod. No one can believe what their eyes told them just happened. Not the fans. Not Cornell. Not even Coach John Desko. But, the Syracuse players...that's a different story.
When you're team is down one goal with 27 seconds to play and the other team controls the ball - no one person can single handedly win a lacrosse game. It requires the near instinctual reactions cultivated through years of practice. It demands trust among teammates. They must all believe their singular actions will add up to a sum greater than its parts. That is precisely what occurred at Gillette Stadium Monday afternoon before an announced crowd of 41,000 lacrosse fans.
The Cornell Big Red was the better team for 56 minutes on Monday. When the lead reached three goals at 9-6 Cornell regained possession and seemed poised to use their disciplined attack to give Coach Jeff Tambroni his first national title. From the stands I was not alone in expressing the fear Syracuse was done. Yet, the game turned in those final four minutes as Syracuse turned up the defensive intensity and suddenly dominated the face offs.
That gave the loaded Orange offense every chance to catch up, tie and then win the game in overtime. That's right aside from the miraculous game tying goal there were the goals by Cody Jamison. One to close the gap, the other to close the deal shortly into overtime. He didn't do it alone either. He had assists first from Josh Amidon and next from Dan Hardy. Before the ball ever got to them there were defensive plays from Cody's buddy Sid Smith. Teamwork. Closeness. Trust and belief.
After the game Coach Desko told me he wasn't sure how it all unfolded. He admitted he would have to watch the tape to really know. The naked eye was not enough. Even all the cameras and whiz bang graphics of ESPN, Dave Ryan's passionate call and Quint Kessenich's analysis failed to make us understand how the final seconds of regulation could have possible happened. But, the players... they know. They know how to win when everyone else has given up.
An hour after the game those newly crowned national champions walked from the mammoth stadium to a parking lot of tailgaters decked out in orange. Each player worn a new gray Nike t-shirt with Legacy printed on the front and a giant orange block S on the back. Without numbers they were hardly distinguishable from one to the next except to their mothers and fathers who waited for once in a lifetime hugs. The kind where a son looks in his father's eyes to say, "I did it, Dad", without the words being spoken.
It suddenly became apparent where the bond begins. The trust of family, friends and tradition. There's no other way to explain how two over the back passes and one lunging swipe toward the goal could possibly add up to that once in a lifetime goal that has found its place in the eternal lore of Syracuse University Athletics.
You can always read the blog on CNYcentral.com.
Follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/mattmulcahy
or
Find me on Facebook.com
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