GENEVA, N.Y. -For the first time since 1968, the Penn State University lacrosse team earned a victory in Geneva over Hobart College thanks to first-year midfielder Will Jones¡¯ goal with 1:14 remaining in overtime. The game was the 17th to be decided by just a single goal in the 52 meetings between the two schools.
The Nittany Lions (5-4) took their first lead of the second half with 37 seconds remaining, breaking a 9-all tie on senior attackman Will Driscoll¡¯s (Fairport, N.Y.) sixth goal of the afternoon. Hobart junior midfielder Tim Booth (Waterloo/Waterloo, N.Y.) won the ensuing faceoff and charged into the Penn State defensive zone. He fired a quick pass to senior attackman Scott Harvey (Suffern/Cornwall, N.Y.), who tied the game with 31 seconds remaining. Harvey led Hobart (5-4) with three goals.
A nip-and-tuck contest from start to finish, the game was tied five times, with three lead changes, and neither team led by more than two goals.
Two of the biggest plays of the game were made by Penn State junior midfielder Rob Booth (Gladwyne, Pa.). Hobart junior John Bogosian (Kent School/Massena, N.Y.) scored six second before halftime, giving the Statesmen a 7-5 lead. Booth won the ensuing faceoff and fired a shot from 10-yards outside of the restraining box. Borsz was partially screened on the shot, and it crossed the goal line just before the horn sounded.
Booth¡¯s second big play came on the faceoff to start overtime. While Hobart¡¯s Booth won the draw, PSU¡¯s Booth tracked him down, knocked the ball loose, and gave the Nittany Lions possession. Five Penn State shots later, Jones struck for the game-winner.
Junior Chris Garrity (Annapolis, Md.) made 11 saves to earn the win.
The Nittany Lions outshot Hobart 58-45, but the Statesmen held a 45-34 advantage on ground balls and a 15-9 edge in faceoffs. Hobart¡¯s Booth was a major factor in the later two stats, winning 13-of-22 faceoffs and picking up a team-high nine ground balls.
Penn State will be in action this coming Friday, visiting Navy for a 7 p.m. match.
Score by quarters 1 2 3 4 OT F Penn State (5-4) 3 3 0 4 1 11 Hobart (5-4) 3 4 0 3 0 10
Scoring-Penn State: Driscoll 6-1, Ogelsby 2-1, Cutler 1-2, R. Booth 1-0, Jones 1-0. Hobart: Harvey 3-0, Shore 2-0, Bogosian 2-0, Powers 1-0, Giles 1-0, Hill 1-0, Rogers 0-1, Molinari 0-1, T. Booth 0-1. Saves-Penn State 11 (Gerrity), Hobart 25 (Borsz). Shots-Penn State 58, Hobart 45. Ground Balls-Penn State 34, Hobart 45. Faceoffs-Penn State 9, Hobart 15. Clears-Penn State 21-of-28, Hobart 23-of-27. Penalties-Penn State 4 for 2:30, Hobart 4 for 3:00. Extra-Man Opportunities-Penn State 0-for-4, Hobart 0-for-4. A-1,204.
