The Daily Orange

PHILADELPHIA - Forget the 10 shots Demetris Nichols already missed during the game. When it mattered, he had the ball in his hands with a chance to tie the game for Syracuse and an open look in front of him. "I can't ask for a better shot," Nichols said. "I live to take that shot.

PHILADELPHA - It was almost a year ago - 362 days ago, to be exact - when Jim Boeheim sat at the postgame press conference after Syracuse beat Cincinnati in the first round of the 2006 Big East tournament and answered a question about Darryl Watkins with a diatribe about Gerry McNamara and how he shouldn't be labeled overrated.

PHILADELPHIA - Eric Devendorf, fresh off a new career-high 33 points, wasn't exactly in the mood to talk about it following the game. It wasn't an innocent act of humility or a frustrated response to SU's 78-75 loss to Villanova to end the regular season. Instead, it was a practical response.

PHILADELPHIA - Syracuse attempted a season-high 35 3-pointers Saturday at Villanova, with no presence whatsoever in the paint. SU's Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins combined for six points and only nine rebounds. But that's not what had Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim upset after the game.

BALTIMORE - Defensive mistakes will be exploited. But offensive opportunities usually seem endless when Virginia and Syracuse match up. Not with this year's Orange, though. Officials scheduled a Virginia-Syracuse matchup in Inside Lacrosse's inaugural Face-Off classic to showcase two high-powered offenses worthy of producing highlight reels.

BALTIMORE - Virginia attackman Ben Rubeor caught the ball about 10 yards from the Syracuse goal less than three minutes into the game. Rubeor faked to his right and wrong-footed SU defenseman Dustin Palmer, before burying an open shot into the goal. Orange head coach John Desko called a timeout shortly after and decided he knew how he could counter Rubeor - ace defenseman Steve Panarelli.

BALTIMORE - Sophomore midfielder/attackman Greg Niewieroski propelled Syracuse's first-quarter scoring spurt with two goals in the span of five minutes. Niewieroski established a new career-best with the two scores. "He's a nice change-up when he comes in," Desko said.

BALTIMORE - Sophomore defenseman Sean McGonigle played for the first time Saturday after the team suspended him for his arrest on Feb. 15 in connection with an off-campus assault. The team lifted the suspension Thursday. "It came from the administration," Syracuse head coach John Desko said.

Syracuse finally started strong, only this time they couldn't finish against Virginia. The No. 9 Cavaliers used second-half adjustments to rally past No. 15 Syracuse, 10-8, Saturday afternoon in front of 254 at the Carrier Dome. The loss marks the Orange's eighth-straight defeat to a ranked opponent.

When Virginia tied the game at six with 19:19 left in the game, Syracuse midfielder Ashley Pike knew she had to calm down goalie Amber Pardee-Hill. The Cavaliers just capitalized on another botched attempt to clear the ball and the senior sensed the sophomore was pressing.

The bottom of the lineup for the Syracuse tennis team has been up and down throughout the season. The top of the lineup has gone overlooked but remained stable and strong for the Orange. Sunday's match against Brown was evidence of this. Junior Olga Votavova and sophomore Maria Vasilyeva, playing at No.

It was the last match of the day and Carolina Huignard was in the middle of the tiebreaker set at No. 4. At the same time, a couple of Syracuse tennis players were hitting balls back and forth on a far court, while a few others mingled around the Drumlins Tennis Center.