NCAA Tournament Deja Vu: Bryant returns to Carrier Dome to face Orange Sunday

Story By Isaac Berky
Photo by Chelsea Brobst

(Newhouse Sports Media Center) Syracuse, N.Y.-  Talk all season has been whether Chris Daddio has improved enough at the “X” to help the Orange make a return trip to the NCAA Championship Game. With the first round of the NCAA Tournament getting underway Daddio’s skills will be put to the test as the Bryant Bulldogs come to the Carrier Dome on Sunday to take on the Orange. Bryant held off Siena 9-8 on the Bulldogs’ home field Wednesday afternoon to earn its first ever NCAA Tournament win, and a return trip to the Carrier Dome.

Bryant (15-4, 6-1 NEC) is riding a four-game winning-streak, including wins over Sacred Heart and Hobart on the way to a NEC Conference Tournament Championship. The Orange most recently defeated Colgate 19-6 last Saturday in the Carrier Dome. The game will be only the second time that Syracuse and Bryant will meet, but it is the second time in as many years. Syracuse took a 12-7 victory when the teams met in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Carrier Dome last season.

QUESTIONS AT THE X

While the Orange managed to come away with the victory the Bulldogs, led by two-time NEC player of the year Kevin Massa, dominated the Orange at the “X.”

Massa, who won 22-of-23 face-offs against the Orange in last year’s game, leads the nation in both face-off percentage (.725) and face-offs won (272). The junior face-off specialist also leads the nation in ground balls per game (11.0)

In comparison Chris Daddio ranks 40^th in win percentage (.512). Daddio struggled at the beginning of the season, but has improved recently. When asked about the Orange senior coach John Desko was confident in Daddio’s ability going into the game.

“I feel very good about that. Chris is an entirely different player than he was a year ago, different techniques,” Desko said. “If anything it’s Bryant that needs to be worried they don’t take it for granted because he [Massa] did so well in the first game. He’s [Daddio] a quick player, his technique has really improved.”

For Daddio getting another chance to compete against Massa is welcome.

“Happy no matter who we play, obviously there’s a little added motivation here going against Massa who embarrassed us last year just like going against Duke I had more motivation there,” Daddio said.

Bryant is known for playing a slower pace offensive game, which makes possession off the draw that much more important.

“The way they play, they slow the ball down a lot, like to take their time on their possessions so it means we have to execute and limit our turnovers offensively,” Syracuse attack Kevin Rice said.

Daddio’s success rate has improved over the course of the season, and he hopes he can help his team control the game come Sunday.
 

“I’m more confident in that point. I just got to keep going here. We just got to make sure more than anything he can’t get his team the ball.”

STINGY DEFENSE vs. BALANCED OFFENSE

Bryant comes into Sunday’s showdown with the Orange with the nation's fifth stingiest defense. Led by goaltender Gunnar Waldt the Bulldogs are giving up 7.42 goals per game this season. Waldt appeared to injure his leg on Wednesday but remained in the game recording 14 saves for the Bulldogs. Only Albany (11) and Brown (11) have been able to reach double figures against Bryant this season.  Desko fully expects that he will see a zone defense from the Bulldogs Sunday evening.

The Orange offense is red hot coming into the game having scored at least 14 times in five of its last six games and is averaging just over 13 goals a game this season. While Randy Staats and Kevin Rice have grabbed the attention of the media and other teams Rice says there is much more to the offense.

“One of the strengths of our offense is at any time we have six guys on the field who can score. So if teams want to double-team somebody it’s going to leave somebody else who is just as dangerous.”

Rice leads the team with 76 points (33g, 43a). He is one of six players on the Orange roster with 40 points or more this season joining Staats, Dylan Donahue, Billy Ward, Derek Maltz and Scott Loy. Rice, who has at least six points in each of his last six games, earned praise from Desko for not only his play as of late.

“He’s a great leader for us on the offensive end of the field and he’s getting the point production to back it up,” Desko said.

Last season against the Bulldogs Syracuse saw eight different players find the back of the net led by Rice(2) and Donahue(3).

ORANGE NETMINDERS

For the Orange it appears that Desko will continue to rotate Dominic Lamolinara and Bobby Wardwell in the cage as the NCAA Tournament begins. Lamolinara started in net against Colgate after coming on in relief of Wardwell in the ACC Championship game. After the Colgate game Desko expressed faith in either goaltender going forward.
 

Lamolinara has started 14 of the 15 games this season, posting a 12.52 goals-against average. Wardwell, whose only start came in the ACC Championship game against Notre Dame, has a 10.65 goals-against average while playing a closer role for the Orange.

The winner of Syracuse-Bryant will take on the winner of Maryland-Cornell May 17 in the NCAA quarterfinals at Shuart Stadium of the campus of Hofstra.