Box Score Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart sophomore attackman Chris Pedersen scored a career-high four goals, but Quinnipiac senior goalie Kevin Benzing still managed a career-high 21 saves to lead the Bobcats to a 9-7 ECAC Lacrosse league victory.

The Statesmen (2-3, 0-1) held a 45-38 advantage in shots, committed fewer turnovers (19 vs 25), and cleared at a higher rate (.882 vs .609), but Quinnipiac (4-1, 1-1) had the edge on ground balls (34-32), faceoffs (12-8), and saves (21-12).

Hobart carried a 4-3 lead into halftime thanks in large part to Pedersen. He opened the day's scoring with an unassisted tally 3:40 into the game. The Bobcats tied the game midway through the first quarter on a shot by junior midfielder Kevin Kelly. For the most part, the first quarter belong to the defenses. Benzing and Hobart starter, senior Max Silberlicht, both notched five saves in the opening frame.

In the second quarter, Quinnipiac took its first lead on a goal by junior midfielder Billy Alessi. Eighty-two seconds later, Pedersen tied the game on the man-up off an assist from senior attackman Kevin Curtin.

Junior attackman Jack Oppenheimer scored with 2:09 left in the half to briefly put the visitors back in front.

Hobart junior long-stick midfielder Alex Caton scooped up the ensuing faceoff, ran through a double team in the middle of the box and beat Benzing under his left arm. The Statesmen won the next faceoff as well, setting the stage for another Curtin to Pedersen goal with 52 seconds left in the half.

The tide turned in the third quarter. Quinnipiac won four of the five faceoffs and netted four unanswered goals to take a 7-4 lead into the fourth. Senior midfielder Alex Marotto sandwiched goals around tallies by Alessi and Oppenheimer to build the three goal lead. Marotto's first strike came just 36 seconds into the half, while the next three came in a rush just 3:05 apart in the latter stages of the session.

Early in the fourth quarter, Hobart broke up the run on a goal by sophomore attackman Sam Miller. After senior midfielder Garett Kerr restored the three goal lead at the 7:59 mark, Miller struck again, this time on the man-up to make it an 8-6 game with 6:26 left. Pedersen capped his day with an unassisted goal that trimmed Hobart's deficit to just one with 4:16 to go.

Marotto completed his second half hat trick by collecting a ground ball in the defensive zone, running the length of the field, circling the cage and firing for a 9-7 lead at the 3:03 mark.

Pedersen also picked up a team-high five ground balls. Miller (2-0) and Curtin (0-2) added two-point efforts, while Silberlicht finished with 12 saves.

Oppenheimer and Alessi both enjoyed two-goal days, while sophomore midfielder Zach Pall, who entered the game first in the nation in faceoff winning percentage, was 12-of-19 at the X and grabbed a game-high seven ground balls.

Hobart will be back in action at 7 p.m. on Tues., March 23, when second-ranked Syracuse visits McCooey Field. The game will be televised by Time Warner Cable Sports. Tickets for that game are $5 general admission, $1 for children under 12.

Game day parking will be available in the O'Dell's South Lot, the Medbury Lot, and at the Geneva Center. Parking adjacent to the field will be restricted to handicap patrons only. There is no parking in the Boswell Lot due to the construction at the Caird Center for Sports and Recreation.