Observations from SU’s loss to Northwestern: Nonexistent attack, Hower struggles
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Following a 13-9 win over Princeton, Syracuse headed to Northwestern for the pair’s second matchup of the season. The Orange lost 16-15 in overtime to the Wildcats in March, but they went through NU in the Final Four last year before losing to Boston College in the championship.
SU was unable to recreate last season’s success, or even keep the game within striking distance like it did earlier this year. The Orange immediately trailed 6-2 by the end of the first quarter, not finding the back of the net for nearly 34 minutes. The Wildcats continued to add onto their lead with nine different goal scorers, clinching their third straight trip to championship weekend.
Here are some observations from No. 5 Syracuse’s (15-6, 6-2 Atlantic Coast) 15-4 loss to No. 4 Northwestern (16-4, 5-1 Big Ten):
Nonexistent attack
The Orange have always taken pride in their attack, able to find multiple scoring options who can get open through the weave offense. Syracuse entered Thursday’s matchup tied eighth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 16.00 goals per game.
But the Wildcats completely decimated SU’s attack, holding it scoreless in the second quarter. Northwestern goalie Madison Doucette had eleven saves on the Orange’s 15 shots-on-goal, allowing just two goals in the opening period.
Early, Syracuse tried to get its main scoring option, Meaghan Tyrrell, open near the crease. Tyrrell was able to find the back of the net on the Orange’s first possession of the game, but after that the Wildcats were able to keep her scoreless until the third quarter.
The Orange tried to establish their weave, moving the ball around the arc before sending cutters inside the 8-meter. But the Wildcats continued to switch and stay as close as possible to each Syracuse attack, only allowing them an ounce of separation for each shot.
After Kate Mashewske won another draw following Northwestern’s fourth score, the Orange moved the ball around deep into the shot clock. The ball landed in the stick of Meaghan, who stood at point-blank range on the right side of the crease. Meaghan was face-guarded, but she still forced a shot which was easily saved by Doucette. And in the second quarter, Emily Hawryschuk tried to shoot from the top of the 8-meter to confuse Doucette, but her powerful low shot was also saved.
Throughout the first half, Syracuse also struggled at the free position, going 0-for-3 on free position shots. Instead of trying to pass and reset its offense, SU charged at Doucette on each attempt. On the third, Swart came charging at Doucette. Doucette kept her stick high, but Swart went high too, allowing Doucette to deflect the ball away.
Goalie struggles
In the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, Syracuse’s season-long goalie struggles led to its earliest exit from the competition since 2018 in an 18-14 loss to Virginia. Before that game, the Orange’s save percentage had plummeted to .335, ranked 110th out of 117 Division I schools, as SU has struggled to replace the production of Asa Goldstock this season.
Kimber Hower has started most games at goalie for SU, and she did so again on Thursday against the Wildcats. But Hower struggled early, picking up her first save with less than two minutes left in the first quarter.
Specifically, Hower struggled stopping shots from the free position. In the first quarter, Northwestern earned two free-position opportunities and came away with two goals against Hower.
On both attempts, the Wildcats ran the same play — streak inside from the left side of the 12-meter and keep their stick high for their shot. Hower tried to mimic Jill Girardi and then Lauren Gilbert’s movement, leaving her stick high to block any high shots. But on both attempts, she was still unable to shift her stick in time as Girardi and Gilbert easily placed the ball where Hower’s stick wasn’t.
Gilbert’s shot hit the back of the net as the first quarter buzzer sounded, finding the right side of the cage while Hower guarded the left.
Hower also ended up on her knees repeatedly because of her tendency to stay upright under attack, allowing Northwestern to shoot low and find the back of the net. At the start of the second quarter, Hower didn’t change her play as Leah Holmes charged at the cage from the right side. Holmes kept her stick high as Hower came out of the crease upright. Holmes immediately shot low, bouncing the ball between Hower’s legs as she fell to the ground and the ball went into the net to give the Wildcats a 7-2 lead.
Hower improved slightly in the second half, able to stop some of the Wildcats’ momentum after they moved fast in transition following big defensive stops. After a successful clear from Northwestern, Gilbert charged right at the cage. Hower came out of the crease briefly, falling to the ground as Gilbert fired a shot. The ball hit Hower’s leg, allowing her to trap the ball on the turf for her second save of the period.
Still, the Wildcats bounced back, scoring six more times by the end of the game.
Meaghan falls short of scoring record
Heading into the game, Meaghan sat four scores away from tying head coach Kayla’s Treanor’s 79-goal single season record, which she set in 2014. And in this year’s NCAA Tournament run, Meaghan has become even more omnipresent in Syracuse’s attack, taking a season-high 12 shots for five goals in its 13-9 win over Princeton last week.
Immediately, Meaghan kickstarted the Orange’s offense just two minutes into the game. Sam Swart, who picked up the initial ground ball to move Syracuse to the attack, flipped the ball to Meaghan at the top of the 12-meter. Swart went to set a pick, but Meaghan elected to go directly at the crease, finding the back of the net with an upper hand, left-handed strike.
In the third quarter, Meaghan broke the Orange’s near 33-minute scoreless drought, finding the back of the net with 1:52 left in the period. Meaghan started from the same position on the right of the side field as her first score while the rest of the attack cleared the 8-meter. She went to the right of her defender this time, switching the ball to her left-hand as she shot high and found the back of the net.
Meaghan scored once again with the running clock already leaving Syracuse unable to catch up to Northwestern. With less than three minutes left in the game, Meaghan used a screen to get back into the center of the field with her left hand elevated. She found the back of the net, now just one goal away from tying the scoring record, but she fell short.
Draw control battle
When Syracuse faced Northwestern earlier this season, Girardi dominated Mashewske at the draw circle as NU won the battle 21-14, including a crucial win at the start of overtime to set up the final goal. Girardi got off to a quick start early, winning the first three draws to give the Wildcats’ an early advantage offensively.
But in Thursday’s matchup, Mashewske had the early advantage. In the first half, the Orange led 9-2 in the draw control battle. Mashewske succeeded in winning the initial draw against Girardi, throwing the ball up towards other Syracuse players before moving to the attack.
On one draw, Mashewske initially flipped the ball into the air, though Syracuse’s wings were unable to secure it. Instead, Mashewske ran after the ball herself, successfully securing it to give the Orange a chance on the attack. But with SU’s offense struggling, it was only able to score once after a draw control win in the first half, following a win from Jenny Markey.
Syracuse won the draw control battle 12-7 despite the loss.