3 takeaways from No. 3 Syracuse’s 16-7 win over No. 4 Boston College
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No. 3 Syracuse topped No. 4 Boston College 16-7 in SU’s final matchup of the 2021 regular season. The two teams split a doubleheader going into next week’s ACC Tournament.
The Orange were led by Emma Tyrrell, who set a career-high with six goals. Syracuse was able to make up for the absence of scoring leader Megan Carney, who was sidelined due to an injury in Thursday’s loss to BC, with seven players recording scores in the matchup.
Here are three takeaways from the Orange’s win in the regular season finale on Saturday:
With Megan Carney out, Emma Tyrrell steps up
The younger of the Tyrrell sisters was rewarded with her first start of the season against Boston College. With that move, Syracuse sacrificed an attack for a midfielder in Tyrrell. But it paid quick dividends for head coach Gary Gait, as Tyrrell scored a hat trick within 11 minutes.
Tyrrell’s third score was in similar fashion to how Carney scores regularly. Tyrrell began from the left side of the field and flashed across the cage, holding her stick high. Sam Swart launched a quick pass over the top, and Tyrrell caught it in stride and flung a shot across her body and into the left side of the goal.
Prior to Syracuse’s doubleheader with Boston College, Gait said that Tyrrell was becoming a growing threat on offense from midfield. The sophomore entered Saturday’s game on a six-game point streak, and by the end of the afternoon, she had seven more points to her name.
Syracuse needs to improve in the draw circle
In Thursday’s loss to Boston College, Syracuse lost the draw control battle in both halves. After the loss, Gait said the Orange needed to improve in the circle to pull out a win.
The Orange got the win, but Syracuse only had five draw controls in the first half, while Boston College had double that. In the second half, Syracuse managed to split five-five with Boston College.
BC’s success mostly comes from having Charlotte North in the circle, who’s second in the ACC, with 9.08 draw controls per game. North had five wins in Saturday’s matchup, which was one more than Syracuse’s top draw specialist, Katelyn Mashewske.
The lack of success on draw controls did not hurt the Orange, as their defense was able to remain poised against the wave of BC attacks. But with just the postseason left, SU has to improve inside the draw circle to get as many offensive possessions as possible.
Syracuse defense continues strong showing
Syracuse’s defense managed to hold Boston College to just 14 goals on Thursday, four fewer than Boston College’s usual 17 per game. But Saturday, the Orange defense played at an even better level.
In the first half, the Eagles scored just four goals. Syracuse was even able to hold ACC point leader North, who scored five goals in Thursday’s matchup, to just one shot and no points in the first half.
After Thursday’s game, Gait pointed out how Boston College’s long possessions wore out the defense throughout the game. The Eagles maintained their lengthy possessions Saturday, but Syracuse managed to get stop after stop. The Orange did not allow nearly as many opportunities in front of Asa Goldstock’s goal, and when there was a shot, Goldstock was there to make the save. Syracuse caused five shot clock violations in total.
By the end of the game, BC’s attack didn’t find any success, scoring just three second-half goals. The only success Boston College found was playing behind the goal, but Syracuse adjusted and stopped runs coming in through the middle. The Orange held the Eagles to seven goals in total, which is the lowest the Eagles have tallied all season.
