7-goal 2nd-half scoring run leads No. 5 Syracuse past Louisville 22-12
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In its last game against Loyola, Syracuse led 8-7 at halftime as neither team could generate more than a three-goal lead in the first half. Then, the Orange outscored the Greyhounds 5-1 in the third quarter to create a 13-8 advantage, leading to a 16-13 win.
Against Louisville, the script was very similar. The two sides traded goals in the first half yet out of halftime, the Orange scored the first three goals to create a 12-7 advantage, one they never relinquished.
“We really settled into the game and we started dominating (with a) slow-burning fast break,” Bianca Chevarie said. “We were able to capitalize all throughout the second half, the clear all of that.”
Behind a 7-0 second-half scoring run, No. 5 Syracuse (9-3, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) pulled away to win 22-12 over Louisville (6-7, 2-4 ACC) to stay unbeaten in ACC play. The victory marks the sixth straight win for SU as it finishes March winning 7-of-8 games. The Orange scored a season-high in goals as four SU players recorded hat tricks. Emma Tyrrell led Syracuse in goals for a second straight game with five, while Olivia Adamson recorded a game-high six points.
Louisville’s Kokoro Nakazawa, who entered the game ranked second in the ACC in points, didn’t even record her first goal of the contest until the 6:32 mark, which tied the game at 4-4. After the score, the Orange defense shut down Louisville, leading to goals by Maddy Baxter and Adamson to give SU a 6-4 lead after the first quarter.
Similar to its fast start in the first quarter, the Orange began the second quarter with a first-minute goal. Savannah Sweitzer notched her second goal of the contest off a feed from Emma Ward to put SU ahead 7-4 at the 14:08 mark.
Syracuse rode a 7-0 run in draw-control wins to take a three-goal lead. Yet, Louisville won the next draw and went on a 2-0 scoring run midway through the second, converting two more free-position chances.
After a nearly seven-minute scoring drought for the Orange, Natalie Smith found the back of the net to give SU an 8-6 advantage at the 7:09 mark. Two minutes later, Louisville brought the game within one and as it looked to tie, Chevarie got a rebound off a Delaney Sweitzer save leading to a Ward score that gave SU a 9-7 lead.
With a minute left in the first half, Louisville worked the ball to Negai Nakazawa for a shot around the 12-meter, but Delaney stood tall to make the save. After one save in the first quarter, Delaney stopped five shots in the second as SU led by two at halftime.
Syracuse came out of the halftime break with a burst of energy. To start the third quarter, Payton Rowley got a feed from Baxter and went behind the back to give SU a 10-7 lead at the 14:17 mark. The score sparked a 3-0 SU run to start the third quarter as the Orange won the first four draw controls of the second half, spurring the run. At the 11:28 mark, Tyrrell scored her first goal of the game to put SU ahead 11-7.
Nicole Perroni broke up the SU scoring run to cut the game to 12-8 at the 6:57 mark of the second quarter. The score was the sixth by the Cardinals on a free-position shot. Louisville looked to make it a 2-0 run of its own but Delaney stepped up to make a stop on Syracuse’s next possession.
At the 5:55 mark of the second quarter, Adamson scored her fourth goal of the game. Kate Mashewske won the next draw and Savannah scored a minute later to give SU a 14-8 lead.
With 23 seconds left in the third quarter, Syracuse got possession of a forced turnover by Joely Caramelli. Coco Vandiver cleared the ball for SU and Adamson worked the ball to Tyrrell for a goal with just eight seconds left in the third. The score capped off a 6-1 third quarter for Syracuse and gave it a 15-8 lead heading into the final 15 minutes.
After finishing the third quarter on a 3-0 run, the Orange continued with four straight goals to start the fourth. Smith won the opening draw and Tyrrell scored just 16 seconds into the fourth quarter, marking her sixth hat trick of the season.
“I’ve just been so impressed with Emma Tyrrell in particular,” SU head coach Kayla Treanor said. “I really think that kid is playing like a Tewaaraton finalist.”
Over the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, SU won three of the first four draws. Mashewske finished the game with 16 draw controls, moving into first place all-time in program history with 440 draws.
“(Mashewske) brings such an intensity to the draw and cares so much and it makes a world of difference for us,” Treanor said. “To come back and have the performance she did today is what makes her so elite.”
Behind the draw wins, Baxter converted on a free-position shot and Tyrrell and Ward notched goals, increasing SU’s lead to 19-8. Then at the 10:21 mark, Smith scored her second of the game, increasing SU’s lead to 12.
Kokoro scored twice in the middle of the fourth quarter to end the SU 7-0 scoring run. But with 6:10 left, Tyrrell gave Syracuse its highest goal total of the season and scored her game-high fifth score to give SU a 21-10 lead.
“We know that we can be a great team,” Savannah said. “…I think that second half is really a testament of what we can be doing the rest of the season.”
