Delaney Sweitzer sets career high in saves for 3rd time this season

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Delaney Sweitzer made two nearly identical saves in the first quarter against Virginia Tech.

At the 10:19 mark, Blair Guy received a feed right outside the crease from Olivia Vergano. She cradled the pass on her left shoulder and then whipped it around for a high-aimed shot, but Sweitzer saw the motion and was ready for it, blocking the ball with her crosse. Because of how good the look was, Vergano leapt up in celebration, thinking the Hokies had scored, but the scoreboard still read 1-0 Syracuse when she came back down to earth.

A few minutes later, the same thing happened again. Vergano passed to Guy inside to set up a shot from point-blank range. Sweitzer was ready for the high shot again as the ball deflected down and bounced away. Once again, the Hokies were scoreless coming off of what looked like a sure-fire opportunity to net. This shot was from a few feet farther back and the feed was from a longer distance, but other than that, the two plays were identical.

Sweitzer collected a career-high 15 saves with a .750 save percentage, leading the Orange to a 16-5 win over the Hokies. She set a career-high in saves for the third time this season, surpassing her personal marks from the season’s first two games. She also collected two ground balls and caused six turnovers in an “outstanding performance,” leading the Orange to a blowout, head coach Kayla Treanor said. She added that the game would have been a lot closer if Sweitzer hadn’t stepped up.

“I hope to break it again,” Sweitzer said postgame about her career high in saves. “I’m ready.”

Sweitzer set the mark first with 11 saves against then-No. 4 Northwestern in the opening game of the season – she broke that mark six days later with 13 saves against then-No. 2 Maryland. But against Virginia Tech, she set a new personal best and tied her season high in save percentage.

In the first quarter, Sweitzer made six saves and let in just one goal. The Hokies’ offense pressured consistently in a game that was more evenly-matched than the score indicated.

Early on, Vergano got a free-position shot after SU’s Jenny Markey rammed her into the ground. Vergano took a few steps before zipping it off the turf from the right wing of the 8-meter – Sweitzer went to a knee to block the shot and give the Orange possession.

This was her second straight game with a .750 save percentage in a season where she’s steadily increased her save rate. Against Northwestern, she posted a .423 save percentage. But since then, her save rate has increased in all but one game, and she has yet to dip below .500.

To start the second half, Paige Tyson received a pass and cradled it inside the 8-meter after multiple failed attempts to get open inside by VT. When Tyson dodged toward the crease, Sweitzer anticipated the high shot and stuck her stick out to meet it at Tyson’s release point. Visibly frustrated, Tyson ran back to the Hokies’ sideline as SU took possession with an 8-1 lead.

A few minutes later, Sweitzer secured another anticipatory save – this one bounced up into her crosse, and she met it in the middle of the bounce to collect the shot from Vergano at 7:01 in the third. Sweitzer corralled the ground ball after saving the shot, despite opposing rebounding efforts.

On a Hokies possession later in the quarter, Swietzer saw Ella Rishko coming in hard and raised her stick high to block the shot again. Whether the shot was high or low, Sweitzer was in complete control of the goal.

Treanor said that Sweitzer won the starting job with her mental drive and composure, and has improved every game using those attributes.

Although she’s a goalie, Sweitzer showed up all over the stat sheet, specifically with a whopping six caused turnovers. One of those came shortly after saving Vergano’s first-quarter penalty shot.

There was a mess of flailing arms and sticks in the box, all scrambling for a loose ball until it got hit up into the air. Sweitzer came out of the crease and used her height and the size of her crosse to bully her way to the ball and gain possession for SU.

In the second half, the Hokies got a bit sloppy on offense trying to play catch-up. They tried to pass from the top of the key to the bottom right corner of the defensive zone, but once again, Sweitzer was anticipating the play. She left her goalie post and drifted over to the open woman, and once the pass was thrown, she jumped up to intercept it uncontested and then calmly passed forward.

“I think she’s getting a little more comfortable (in goal), but she’s playing outstanding,” Treanor said. “She’s confident, and she’s in such a good mind place with her psychology – (she’s) just seeing the ball really well.”

Sweitzer said that her mental preparation has been a big reason for her success this season, stating that she feels in control and ready to anticipate opposing shots.

Against the Hokies, that mindset paid dividends in the form of a third career high in saves and another personal record in caused turnovers.

“Delaney had one of the best individual performances I’ve seen all year,” Treanor said. “You can’t ask a player to play better than that.”