M. Lax goes to 'Nova without star senior

Riding high after a 25-6 thrashing of St. Joe's that propelled it to a No. 19 ranking, the Penn men's lacrosse team headed to Syracuse envisioning an upset of No. 2 ranked Orangemen. Welcome to reality, Penn. Following an 18-6 drubbing at the Carrier Dome, in which the Orange outshot the Red and Blue, 51-26, the overmatched Quakers (6-5 overall, 3-3 Ivy League) were forced to swallow some of their own pride. "We were very confident, we had been playing very well," Penn senior captain Kevin Cadin said. "Syracuse is just such a talented team that it was difficult to keep up with them." Besides losing the game, Penn also realistically lost any chance of receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. "The Syracuse game was it," Penn men's lacrosse coach Mark Van Arsdale said. "If we would've won there, we could've maybe grabbed one of the last at-large bids. "It's not going to happen now." Penn's greatest loss in the Syracuse game, however, was not the game itself or its chance at the playoffs, but rather the season-ending torn ACL suffered by Cadin, the Red and Blue's leading scorer with 25 points. After netting a goal for the Quakers, Cadin was checked by an opposing Syracuse player, knocking him to the Carrier Dome turf. "I just twisted my knee when I was getting pushed and it was over," Cadin said. The injury not only ended Cadin's season, but also marked his final game in a stellar four-year career for the Quakers. "It feels kind of weird, thinking I couldn't go out on my own terms," Cadin said. "However, it's still great to end my career while scoring a goal." A remorseful Van Arsdale reflected on the career-ending injury to his senior captain. "I think the biggest thing is disappointment for Kevin," Van Arsdale said. "To put so much into it for four years, it's just so hard to end your career with an injury. "It's a tremendous loss for the team." Despite the fact that Cadin will be out of the lineup for the final two games -- the Red and Blue play at Villanova today and against Delaware on Saturday -- all is not lost. For a Penn squad that has prided itself on maintaining a balanced attack -- a strong concept of "team" play has been critical to the Red and Blue's success -- the Quakers should be able to compensate for the loss of one of the team's stars. "If you look at the score sheet for each of the games, the numbers for each of our players are pretty even," van Arsdale said. "We have not been led by one guy all season, but rather have worked together as a unit," Cadin added. With their playoff hopes dashed, the Cadin-less Quakers' last remaining goal is finishing the season with a winning record, a feat that they have not accomplished since 1989. Now standing at 6-5, Penn will need at least a split versus the Wildcats and the Blue Hens to end the season above .500. The Red and Blue head into tonight's 7 p.m. match against Villanova inspired by one the greatest sports motivators -- revenge. After losing at Franklin Field to the Wildcats, 15-14, in double overtime last season, the Quakers are looking to reverse the outcome on Villanova's home turf. "We want to get them back for last year's game," Van Arsdale said. Although relegated to the sidelines, Cadin will be actively supporting his teammates. "It will be tough being a cheerleader, because I want to be out there," Cadin said. "But, if we play well, and can pull out the victory, I will be just as happy as if I were playing."

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