Freshmen provide scoring at critical points during SU’s 20-9 victory over Cornell
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Meaghan Tyrrell stood behind Cornell’s net looking for someone to pass to. The Big Red’s defense kept the weave in check as they had jumped out to a 6-3 lead midway through the second quarter. So the senior opted to flip the ball to the approaching freshman, Olivia Adamson.
Adamson got checked from Cornell’s Olivia Wall, and with Wall’s stick in her face, Adamson found a wide open Payton Rowley at the top of the 8-meter. Rowley faced no pressure from the Big Red and found an open area to take a shot. Rowley’s hard shot went past the stick of goalie Katie McGahan and Cornell’s lead was cut to two goals.
Rowley’s second goal of the game made the score 6-4 still in favor of the Big Red. But it started the Orange’s nine-goal run that went toward the end of the third quarter.
While Syracuse (11-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) eventually dominated in a 20-9 win over Cornell (7-5, 3-1 Ivy League), the matchup was tight throughout the first half. SU struggled initially to replace Megan Carney and Emma Tyrrell. Before Emily Hawryschuk led the Orange’s scoring runs with her career-best 11 points, freshmen Rowley and Adamson emerged early to keep Syracuse in the game. Adamson scored a goal and recorded a team-high four assists while Rowley notched her first collegiate hat trick.
“These freshmen’s ability to come out and play with such composure is amazing,” Hawryschuk said.
Rowley made three goals in her fourth game of the season. The native of Hampstead, Maryland, scored two goals in the second game of the season, a 23-6 victory against Binghamton.
The difference against Cornell was that Rowley scored early to make her dent on the night. Syracuse was down 1-0 with nine minutes left in the first quarter and Hawryschuk stood at the right side of the arc. With the freshman open at the arc, the sixth-year dumped the ball to an open Rowley, who fired a bounce shot that beat McGahan.
Rowley’s opening score started a three-goal run where Hawryschuk recorded back-to-back goals. It was similar to her second goal of the night, which started the 9-0 run that gave the Orange a lead they didn’t concede.
As the goal in the second quarter started the run, it also started Adamson’s night. The Florida native mainly filled the position of Carney throughout the game. On the weave, Carney typically set up behind the right side of the net to create passes or to curl around for a quick, close-range shot.
Despite her freshman status, SU head coach Kayla Treanor said Adamson is a veteran of the attack at this point in the season. Adamson already leads all first-year players with 14 points, carving a role in a lineup full of the country’s top talent.
“She has a great lacrosse IQ and a great understanding of the game,” Treanor said of Adamson. “She knows what we’re trying to do offensively and so she’s one of the veterans out there.”
Adamson put her talents on display to start the second half as well. Less than two minutes into the game, the Orange were on the woman-up due to a Reilly Fletcher yellow card. On the advantage, Meaghan tried to make multiple moves from the right side of the arc and faced stiff resistance. But Meaghan saw Adamson have a step on defender Karina Schulze. Meaghan sent a pass to the freshman, who scored the opening goal of the second half.
The goal continued Syracuse’s scoring run from the second quarter and Adamson built on it with her passing. Three minutes after her only score, Adamson assisted on Hawryschuk’s fourth goal of the game. Natalie Smith stood at the top of the arc and decided to pass down to Adamson. The freshman quickly looked to Hawryschuk, who faked a shot going upward instead scoring on a downward shot.
Adamson’s final assist of the night came as a part of the Orange’s 8-0 run in the fourth quarter, when the game was already out of reach for the Big Red. Despite this, Rowley still searched for a hat trick. She had a close call in the third quarter when she had a wide open net, but her shot hit the post.
Rowley got another opportunity in garbage time, though. With seven minutes left in the game and Syracuse leading 17-9, Hawryschuk ran along the 8-meter line, drawing defenders away from Rowley. The sixth-year passed the ball to the freshman, who fired a one-bounce shot at Meaghan. The goalie had control of the ball at first but couldn’t control it, and Rowley secured her hat trick. The freshman tallied as many shots as Sam Swart and Meaghan, and she was more successful in fewer shots and less playing time.
“(Rowley) did so well. She got five shots off and was able to finish three of them,” Treanor said. “And that’s all we can ask of a player to come in her first real big opportunity and she did awesome.”