AMHERST, Mass. – In each of Syracuse’s losses this season it has been outdone in the face-off circle. So if the Orange had a chance to overcome a five-goal deficit in the fourth quarter Saturday against Massachusetts, its largest of the season, it would have to control the ball starting with sophomore specialist Danny Brennan.

After SU lost all five third-quarter draws, Brennan won five straight in the fourth quarter to help Syracuse tie Massachusetts before the end of regulation. UMass beat Syracuse, 14-13, in overtime.

‘(Brennan) got frustrated with the calls and then he settled down,’ SU head coach John Desko said. ‘He showed a lot of heart. If you know Danny, he’s a competitor.’

Brennan, who took most of the first-half face-offs, was called for several infractions and was visibly angry on the sideline. Desko said it was a matter of officiating.

‘We’ve been at home the last few games and the officials were calling it one way,’ Desko said. ‘Here the officials were calling it differently so a lot of those losses were violations. We thought we were doing the right thing.’

Brennan said the team was stirred by an emotional halftime speech by senior captain Jake Plunket and sophomore Steve Panarelli.

After SU lost 15 of 19 draws through three quarters, Brennan helped SU win six of the last 10. The resulting possessions gave the Orange a 17-7 shot advantage.

‘This team never quits,’ Brennan said. ‘This is just the prime example of it. We were down five goals at one point and we took them to overtime.’

Familiar atmosphere

It was Mike Leveille’s first time playing at Garber Field, but it certainly wasn’t his first time on the UMass campus.

Leveille’s brother, Kevin, currently of the MLL’s Boston Cannons, was a second team All-American at Massachusetts from 2000-2003. Mike Leveille scored one goal and notched four assists against the Minutemen on Saturday.

Though the freshman, who is second on the team with 27 goals, managed only one score, it was a big one. The tally came at 1:15 of the fourth quarter to pull the Orange to within one.

After a missed shot, Leveille took the ball inbounds on the right side of the UMass net and fired it past UMass goalie Bill Schell.

‘I think our defense tightened up and we got a chance on offense,’ Leveille said. ‘It’s not easy – to think the entire game comes down to one goal at the end.’

Leveille said his brother and former teammates were in attendance for Saturday’s game to witness the family rivalry.

‘I watched him for many years and supported him here,’ Leveille said. ‘I just wish we could’ve come out with a win.’

New year, same finish

After Syracuse’s overtime loss to Massachusetts on Saturday, Minutemen fans stormed the field, taunting Orange players in what has become a heated rivalry.

The finish was similar to SU’s loss at Garber Field in 2003. Minuteman Jeff Zywicki again tallied the overtime game-winner in a chippy match that featured 10 extra-man opportunities.

‘We knew it was gonna be pretty wild,’ SU junior Brian Crockett said. ‘We hate each other. They ran their mouth the whole game, we ran ours. We’re both just competitive and want to win.’

In a rainy, dark setting, 3,428 fans showed up for the game, many of whom were forced to stand behind each team’s goal.

‘It got physical at times,’ Desko said. ‘The fans on the other side were on us the whole time, but the guys showed a lot of poise and we were able to fight our way through that.’

This and that

Two of SU’s major contributors on defense, Scott Ditzell and Kyle Guadagnolo, did not play because they were sick. Guadagnolo remained in Syracuse, but Ditzell traveled and the Orange learned he wouldn’t play Saturday morning. ‘We had no time to prepare for it,’ Desko said. ‘We had a couple new people out there, we just did what we had to do and it’s a tough lesson to learn.’ … UMass led 9-5 at halftime. Massachusetts is now 10-0 this season after leading at halftime. Syracuse is 0-3 after trailing at halftime.

Published on May 1, 2005 at 12:00 pm