In the Syracuse women’s soccer team’s game last night, it faced its toughest opponent this season – Syracuse.

SU squandered many opportunities in a season-ending, 3-1 loss to Princeton at Syracuse Soccer Stadium. The loss epitomized the last half of the 2003 season for the Orangewomen.

SU hoped to take advantage of the few opportunities the Tigers gave it. Thanks to sloppy play and penalties in the first half, Syracuse put itself in position for the loss.

Princeton’s Esmeralda Negron struck quickly, putting the Tigers ahead 5:18 into the game. The fast score was only the beginning for the Orangewomen.

With 22:48 left in the first half, a high cross was sent in front of the Syracuse goal. Both goalie Emily Kowalczyk and defender Sarah Elnicky went for the ball. Elnicky headed the ball backwards, past an unready Kowalczyk.

‘I called it before she headed it, but it’s hard to stop heading it,’ Kowalczyk said. ‘I was out of the goal ready to catch it and she headed it back. It was a misplay.’

Said midfielder Anne-Marie Lapalme: ‘It happens. It’s a soccer game and that happens a lot. We can’t do anything about it.’

There were plenty of misplays by both teams. With 24:48 remaining in the first half, an offsides penalty negated a Princeton goal. But Princeton (10-1-3, 3-1-1 Ivy League) was clearly the better team, as SU threw away numerous scoring chances. The Orangewomen were called for numerous offsides penalties, three of which came with an SU player in the open with only the Princeton goalie in the way of the potential score.

Syracuse wasted another scoring opportunity with 14:15 left in the first half. Forward Helen Fox had a clear path to the net, but Princeton goalie Madeleine Jackson easily stopped her squibbed kick.

‘They had the better of the play in the first half,’ midfielder Megan Huez said. ‘Second half we came out really strong but when we have those lapses, teams are just going to score.’

In the second half, both teams picked up their play. The Orangewomen (9-8-1, 2-3-1 Big East) looked poised for a comeback, pushing the ball up into Princeton territory for much of the first five minutes. The offensive pressure paid off when Shana Thomas went on a fast break and shot the ball past Princeton’s Jackson 4:31 into the second half.

‘In the first half, there were moments that we played well and others where we didn’t play well,’ Kowalczyk said. ‘In the second half, we definitely picked it up.’

Princeton responded. With 13:00 left in the second half, Princeton defender Elizabeth Pillion sent a pass up to midfielder Emily Behncke. Behncke beat Kowalczyk and extended the Tiger’s lead to 3-1.

Later in the second, with Kowalczyk beat, Princeton had another scoring chance. But Elnicky made an outstanding play, sliding into the goal box and deflecting the would-be goal.

After Elnicky’s play, Syracuse reverted back to its first half form. Cleary desperate for a goal, a referee caught Shana Thomas ahead of the defender and whistled her for the offside.

The sloppy play disappointed SU, which looked primed to win the Big East going into its Oct. 3 game against Rutgers. Since that time, Syracuse went 2-6-1 and failed to make the Big East tournament.

‘This game was the story of our season,’ Lapalme said. ‘We played well for 20 minutes, then we were down for a couple minutes and they scored.’

Said Huez: ‘It’s very frustrating because we know we have a good team and we know we could do so much more. When it turns out this way, you’re always disappointed and never satisfied because we should be in the Big East tournament and should be going to the NCAA Tournament.’

Syracuse ended its once-promising season fittingly. Elements that appeared throughout the season appeared again against Princeton.

‘They’re a Top 25 team so we knew it was going to be a tough game, but we definitely think we can compete with Top 25 teams and we’ve thought that all year.’ Huez said. ‘We definitely thought this was a game we could win.’

Published on October 29, 2003 at 12:00 pm