Second-ranked Syracuse (7-1, 3-0) heads west on I-90 to faceoff with Hobart (4-5, 1-1) on Wednesday night. Syracuse haven't lost to Hobart since 2013. The Orange got the better of the Statesmen when they met last season in 13-6 final that saw now senior attacker Jordan Evans score four goals.
Evans will hope that he can recapture the magic he had a season ago against Hobart. The attacker has struggled to find the mark in recent outings, scoring just once in his last three games. He has slotted into more of a playmaker role than a featured goal-scorer. He has four assists in that same three-game span and sits second on the team in helpers. It might not be the season that many imagined from Evans, but he is still finding a way to be productive.
Hobart might just be the team for Evans to regain his scoring flare against though, as they sit in the bottom third of the nation in scoring defense, allowing just over 12 goals per game.
With the Statesmen struggling this season, Syracuse might finally break its run of close games. The Orange has won five straight games, all by just one goal. The only loss Head Coach John Desko's team has suffered on the year was a one-goal loss to Army. Nothing is guaranteed though, especially when looking at Hobart's last game, which was a one-goal loss to Sacred Heart.
Much of the offense for the Orange will likely run through senior Nick Mariano and sophomore Nate Solomon. The pair have scored 33 goals this season between them, including seven of Syracuse's 11 against Notre Dame.
One last area to watch is Hobart's man-up opportunities. Syracuse faced an Irish team last week who struggled in extra-man opportunities, and the Statesmen are even worse. Hobart ranks third worst in terms of conversion percentage in man-up situations, scoring on just 6 of its 28 chances. Even if the Orange do find themselves in a man-down position, it seems unlikely that Hobart will make them pay.
A win in Geneva would keep Syracuse perfect on the road this season, with only a trip to North Carolina remaining on the away schedule.