Syracuse’s defense collapses in ACC tournament loss to North Carolina
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.
Late on in the shot clock, Caitlyn Wurzburger slowed down as she controlled the ball from X. With Coco Vandiver defending her tightly, Wurzburger made her move, cutting to her right. The junior got a step on Vandiver, but the defender knocked the ball out of her stick. Vandiver did everything right, but couldn’t pick up the ground ball. Wurzburger came back into the play, picking up the loose ball.
The attacker picked her head up and found Reilly Casey. Casey didn’t panic, firing a pass to a cutting Caroline Godine who came from behind the goal. Godine caught the ball on the run, avoiding two Syracuse defenders parallel to the goal. Godine improved her angle, sliding the ball past Delaney Sweitzer in net, putting the Tar Heels up 15-7 with 6:40 remaining in the game.
If there was one play to sum up Syracuse’s (16-2, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) 15-9 loss to North Carolina (14-3, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), it was that. The Orange struggled to contain the Tar Heels high-powered offense — led by Godine who scored a career-high six goals. Syracuse was sloppy on defense throughout, losing cutters consistently leading to easy chances on net for North Carolina, which they converted. The Tar Heels scored on 45 percent of their shots.
Godine showed the Orange what she was capable of in SU’s first matchup with North Carolina this season. The Orange won 14-12, but Godine recorded a then-career high six points (2 goals and 4 assists). On Friday, the freshman was the catalyst behind North Carolina’s dominant offensive performance.
The young North Carolina attacker had its way with Syracuse. Hungry from its two-goal loss to the Orange earlier in the season, North Carolina set the tone right from the start. Before the Orange could blink, the Tar Heels jumped out to a three-goal lead. UNC scored the first eight goals of the game, with Syracuse having no answer. Ever since Bianca Chevarie went down with a season ending injury against Stony Brook, the Orange’s defensive efficiency has plummeted.
In the past five games, the Orange have let up 13.2 goals per game. North Carolina had 13 goals through three quarters.
The Tar Heels opened the scoring, catching Syracuse in transition. After winning the opening draw, Syracuse set up its offense. Emma Ward fired from range, stinging the cross bar. Wurzburger came the other way with a huge numbers advantage. The Syracuse defense scrambled, as Wurzberger dished the ball to Melissa Sconone who was wide open at the crease. Sconone placed the ball past Sweitzer to open the scoring. Wurzberger initiated North Carolina’s offense, dishing out a game-high four assists.
Open players in front of the net continued to be an issue for Syracuse. In the second half of Syracuse’s first loss of the season against Boston College, the Orange let up 11 goals. SU couldn’t stop the Eagles from getting in a rhythm. It was a similar story against North Carolina on Friday, only this time it happened in the first half, letting up 10.
“I thought their offensive sets were great, they had lots of players step up to score. Their freshmen are playing really well.” Syracuse head coach Kayla Treanor said of North Carolina ahead of the game on Friday.
Syracuse was undisciplined on defense, allowing 10 free position shots. In the first quarter North Carolina took advantage, converting on three-straight eight-meter shots. Marissa White charged towards the crease, placing a shot in the top right corner, putting the Tar Heels up 2-0. Casey followed with another eight-meter shot, extending the Tar Heels advantage to three. White stepped up again for another scoring opportunity. She wound her stick before unleashing a bullet to the top right corner, putting UNC up 4-0. Syracuse never recovered from its poor defensive start.
In the waning moments of the first half, Sconone initiated offense from X. Sconone weighed her options as Godine juked out her defender, finding herself wide open in front of the net. Sconone fired the ball to Godine, who used two fakes before placing the ball in the top right corner, extending the lead to 10-2.
In an unfamiliar position, the Orange changed their defense. Facing its largest deficit of the season, Syracuse started extending its pressure in the third quarter, attempting to force North Carolina into turnovers. The Orange haven’t been trailing much this season, but found themselves down against the Tar Heels.
The Orange were able to slow down the Tar Heel offense in the third quarter, only allowing three goals. Trailing 12-3, Syracuse gained momentum for the first time in the game. Before goals from Meaghan Tyrell and Olivia Adamson, the Orange hadn’t scored back-to-back goals all game. Once it got consistent stops on defense, Syracuse gained the momentum. Ward used a juke move to get free at X before backhanding the ball into the back of the net, cutting the North Carolina lead to five with five minutes remaining in the third.
As soon as Syracuse gained momentum, it lost it. A minute later Godine ripped a shot to the top right corner on an eight meter to put North Carolina up 13-7. Two more goals from the Tar Heels ruined any chance of a Syracuse comeback. The loss ends the Orange’s hopes of winning its first ACC tournament since 2015 and turns the team’s focus to the NCAA tournament.
