Opponent Preview: What to know ahead of No. 7 Loyola

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Against then-No. 9 Virginia Saturday, Syracuse was down 5-1 in the first quarter. The Orange went on a 3-0 run, scoring with 23 seconds left in the frame to make it a one-score game. SU stayed within one goal of UVA until an early fourth quarter goal put the Cavaliers ahead 14-12.

In response, Syracuse went on another 3-0 run to end the game as its defense caused key turnovers in the final minutes to secure a 15-14 win. The victory kept SU undefeated in Atlantic Coast Conference play, and marked its fourth ranked win.

SU, now riding a four-game winning streak, welcomes Loyola into the JMA Wireless Dome Wednesday. The undefeated Greyhounds are 2-0 against ranked opponents and are the Orange’s sixth top-10 matchup of the season.

Here’s everything to know before No. 5 Syracuse (7-3, 5-0 ACC) faces No. 7 Loyola (9-0, 4-0 Patriot League):

All-time series

Syracuse leads 14-4.

Last time they played…

Behind a 3-0 fourth quarter, then-No. 2 Syracuse defeated then-No. 9 Loyola 9-7 on March 15, 2023, to improve to 8-0. SU got out to a 6-3 halftime lead behind a four-goal first quarter.

Despite the advantage, the Greyhounds went on a 4-0 run in the third quarter, scoring twice on the player-up. The run catapulted Loyola to a 7-6 lead going into the fourth quarter, marking the first time since SU’s first game of the season that it trailed.

Three minutes into the fourth, Sierra Cockerille ended Syracuse’s offensive drought to tie the game. With seven minutes left, Meaghan Tyrrell gave the Orange an 8-7 lead and Megan Carney added her second goal of the game to close out the victory.

The Greyhounds report

Loyola entered 2024 coming off a 19-3 record last season, its second-most wins in program history. Its season ended after falling to then-No. 1 Northwestern in the NCAA quarterfinals, marking the second straight season it reached that round.

In 2024, the Greyhounds returned three of their top five point contributors from last season, including their top two in Sydni Black and Georgia Latch. This season, the pair rank second and third on Loyola in goals, respectively.

Loyola’s strong offense has led it to a 9-0 start, including an 18-10 win over then-No. 10 Florida and a 17-12 victory over then-No. 18 Navy. The Greyhounds lead the Patriot League with a 6.9 margin of victory, and have held opponents to 10 or fewer goals in five games.

Fernanda Kligerman | Design Editor

How Syracuse beats Loyola

In a matchup where Syracuse (15.40) and Loyola (15.44) average similar amounts of goals per game, the game will be won on the defensive side and in the draw control circle. SU leads the ACC in caused turnovers per game with 11, while Loyola causes the second-fewest in its conference at 6.33. If the Orange continue their ability to get to ground balls (15.70 per game) compared to Loyola’s 12.22, it will slow down the Greyhounds offensive attack.

In the circle, the Greyhounds average a Patriot League-best 17.44 draw controls per game. Chase Boyle leads Loyola with 88 wins, providing a key matchup with SU’s Kate Mashewske (78), who has had an up-and-down season but recently recorded a season-high 18 draw controls against Virginia.

Stat to know: 8.80

Led by goalie Lauren Spence, Loyola allows the fewest goals per game (8.80) in the Patriot League, which ranks 11th in the country. Spence, the 2023 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, has had a .500 or greater save percentage in each of the last two seasons. In 2024, Spence is saving shots at a .451 rate, stopping 9-of-10 against Georgetown on March 6.

Player to watch: Sydni Black, attack, No. 11

Black is coming off a Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honor after scoring eight goals and tallying 11 points in Loyola’s last two games. The senior is coming off a career-high 81-point season in 2023, when she was honored as a member of the All-Patriot League First Team.

In two games this season, she has set single-game career-highs with eight points, reaching the tally against Navy within the game’s first 27 minutes. Against Georgetown, Black totaled eight points on a career-high seven goals and one assist.