Box Score
SYRCACUSE, N.Y. – There was no Gatorade bath, no players running around wild. It was just as Army head coach Joe Alberici scripted it.
Justin Bokmeyer and Ryan Chase scored twice and Adam Fullerton made 16 saves to help the Black Knights beat second-ranked Syracuse 8-6, Friday night in front of 4,789 fans at the Carrier Dome. It was the first time Army has ever won in the Carrier Dome.
The Black Knights entered the game unranked but left Syracuse after beating the nine-time National Champion Orange for the first time since 1983 and for the first time on the road since 1972.
“We told the guys, ‘If you don’t believe we can win, don’t get on the bus,’” Alberici said. “Army is a storied lacrosse program with eight national titles but this was our chance to leave our footprint.”
The game will be rebroadcast in the Hudson Valley Monday on Time Warner Cable Monday at 7 p.m. on channels 58 and 96.
Army broke open a 6-6 game with two scores in the final 3:14.
Six different players scored for the Black Knights who improved to 2-0 with the win.
Fullerton, a graduate of nearby Liverpool High School, faced 45 shots and was credited with 16 saves as he won his second game of the year in net.
“We got great goaltending tonight,” Alberici said. “Our poles held up and we did an excellent job of defending the dodge. Syracuse is a very talented team and can exploit any weakness and I thought we showed a lot of heart.”
Brooks Korvin, Hunter Wakeland and Jason Peyer also scored for the Black Knights as did Kevin LoRusso who had an assist.
Army led 3-2 after the first 15 minutes. Syracuse scored less than three minutes into the game, but Chase came back to tie the contest at 5:22 with an unassisted goal, his first of the season.
Syracuse went back on top 30 seconds later before Peyer knocked home a Chase miss with 2:45 left in the game. Chase’s shot on goal was saved but Peyer was there to scoop in the rebound and tie the game at 2. It was his second tally of the season.
Army called timeout with 45 seconds left and then took advantage to go ahead. LoRusso beat his defender with just three seconds left to put the Black Knights ahead 3-2 with his second goal of the season.
The Orange, who have advanced to the national semifinals in 23 of the last 24 years, scored twice in the second quarter to take a 4-3 lead at intermission.
Bokmeyer tied the game early in the third quarter with a blast from eight yards out to make it four-all with 12:10 left in the quarter. It was also Bokmeyer’s second goal of the season.
Korvin put Army back on top three minutes later. Fullerton made another great save and started the clear. Ryan McClure worked it inside to Korvin who found the back of the net with his second goal of the season and a 5-4 Army lead after three quarters.
Bokmeyer’s second goal of the game put the Black Knights on top 6-4. Army was patient with its offense until LoRusso slipped his defender behind the net and hit Bokmeyer who converted with 13 minutes left in the game.
The Orange, who beat Hobart by scoring four fourth-period goals last week, tied the game with two goals 40 seconds apart with less than five minutes remaining.
Chase answered with his second goal with 3:14 left. He had the ball behind the net and came around and scored, despite a stick to the head.
Wakeland added an insurance goal les than a minute later when Sean Reppard passed him the ball from his knees and Wakeland hit the back of the net to make it 8-6.
Army will travel to Holy Cross Tuesday for a 7 p.m. contest. It will be the Patriot League opener for the Black Knights.
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