Before John Lade could enter the press conference after Syracuse defeated Johns Hopkins on Saturday night, he had to get a hold of his cell phone.

Lade, still dressed in his uniform, paced in the hallway as he called his father, who was in the stands in Baltimore. With the hectic Orange schedule, Lade only had a few moments to say hello to his family following the 10-7 victory.

He had a bus to catch.

‘We will get on the bus at around 11:30 tonight and will get back to Syracuse around 5 in the morning,’ SU head coach John Desko said. ‘We will practice Sunday evening and Monday. When we get back they need to get some rest, and then we need to get them to focus on Hobart.’

With a quick turnaround, the No. 3 Orange (4-1) must prepare for a date with Central New York rival Hobart (2-3) on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in Geneva, N.Y. With just two days to practice, Syracuse must prepare for a Hobart team craving a big win on its turf.

The Orange are coming off two victories over No. 8 Georgetown and No. 12 Johns Hopkins and seem to have ‘found their identity,’ according to Desko, over the past couple games. The merry-go-round lineup that defined Syracuse early in the season has transformed to a more consistent rotation.  

After struggling to put together a complete 60 minutes in the season’s first few games, the Orange has inched closer to that goal. But it is an accomplishment that Syracuse goalie John Galloway knows his team cannot celebrate for too long.   

‘This was definitely a big win for us,’ Galloway said after the Hopkins game. ‘But we need to focus on the Hobart game that is coming up real fast.’

While most college students were vacationing during Spring Break, the Orange was cooped up in the film room preparing for the Blue Jays. Its extended preparation showed, as Syracuse jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first 30 minutes.

‘We had a good long week of practice and watched a lot of film on them,’ Lade said. ‘We had a good feel for what they wanted to run.’

That is a luxury Syracuse will be without come Tuesday. With only two days to get ready, Desko wants to make sure his team does not overlook Hobart.

‘I know it is a game that on paper we are favored to win,’ Desko said. ‘But it is always an emotional game, a rivalry game. It is very much like a Hopkins-Maryland kind of game.’

Up for grabs will be the Kraus-Simmons trophy. Since 1986 this trophy has been awarded to the winner of the Syracuse-Hobart game. The Orange has kept the trophy in Syracuse for the past three seasons and 22 of 24 seasons since 1986.

In addition to the hardware, Hobart presents a chance to earn local bragging rights. The Statesmen’s second-leading scorer, Kevin Curtin, attended Corcoran High School. Hobart also boasts players from nearby Lafayette, Jamesville and Cazenovia.

‘It means a lot more than a lot of games on our schedule,’ Galloway said. ‘There are a lot of local guys on Hobart, and they look forward to playing a Syracuse team that they played in high school and had rivals against before.’

This is a rivalry that extends beyond the field. Over the years McCooey Field has been a tough place to play. Fans know what is at stake, and a win against Syracuse can make the season for the Statesmen. The last time Syracuse played in Geneva two years ago, 2,500 fans showed up.

‘They have quite a following and it is quite a rowdy bunch,’ Desko said. ‘They have some interesting things to say to the players, coaches and their mothers, too. Normally they show up in droves for this rivalry.’

But Desko hopes Mother Nature can help the Orange.

‘We normally don’t relish the thought of going out and playing in the rain,’ Desko said. ‘But if it rains in Geneva, it might be OK with us if it keeps some of the people home.’

restern@syr.edu