In the battle of the nation’s top feeders, Marasco won.

He and Cornell’s Rob Pannell fought to run their respective offenses more effectively. And while Pannell exploded in the game’s opening moments, he was silenced for the final 54 minutes. Meanwhile, Marasco dodged and dished all over the Big Red defense. Cornell couldn’t contain the Orange’s top midfield line, led by Marasco, and with SU’s No. 22 paving the way, No. 7 Syracuse came back from 4-0 down to upset the Big Red.

“JoJo Marasco’s a heck of a player,” CU head coach Ben DeLuca said.

After the Big Red held Syracuse scoreless for the first six minutes of the game, Marasco streaked onto the field down the right wing. It was one of his first chances to stretch his legs all game.

“We believe in our defense, though,” Marasco said of the scoreless opening. “They get us the ball a lot and it shows when we get the ball. We’ve been taking such good shots this year we were normally scoring with every possession.”

Marasco settled the Orange into just its second set offense of the game, dodging from the point down the right hash marks where he hit Loy in stride to set up SU’s first goal of the game with 8:20 left in the first quarter. The game no longer belonged to Pannell.

Defender Brian Megill silenced the Cornell playmaker for the rest of the game. Marasco assisted on Cometti’s goal to end the third quarter and scored one of his own to start the fourth. The Orange signaled that the final quarter – and the game – belonged to SU.

Despite starting the game in a serious hole against powerhouse Cornell, Marasco was patient, pacing SU’s comeback. After the game, the midfield orchestrator was the butt of celebratory joking from his teammates.

“So nice of you to join us,” Megill said to Marasco as the midfielder rushed into the postgame press conference. Marasco pointed to the chair he was trying to sit in, sandwiched tightly between Megill and coach Desko.

“Take your time, take your time,” goalie Dominic Lamolinara piled on.

It was just what he did all game, and it gave his teammates a reason to joke afterward, pleased with their monumental victory.

Published on April 11, 2013 at 1:12 am

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