With nothing left to strive for, the Syracuse women’s soccer team will take the field tonight for the one remaining reason – pride.

SU faces No. 22 Princeton at Syracuse Soccer Stadium in its season finale. Although the Orangewomen are officially eliminated from a Big East tournament berth, they can close out a mediocre season with a win.

‘The season hasn’t gone as we would have liked it to,’ senior Megan Huez said, ‘but our main goal is just to finish strong.’

Despite going 1-4-1 in its last six games, Syracuse (9-7-1, 2-3-1 Big East) looks to change its current momentum and spoil Princeton’s postseason hopes.

‘We need to keep possession and finish all of our opportunities,’ forward Nina Scalzo said. ‘With a great team like Princeton, you are only going to get two or three opportunities, and you need to make sure we capitalize on them.’

With nothing to lose, the Orangewomen will take more chances.

‘We’ve just got to put our hearts on the line,’ Scalzo said. ‘The only way we are going to beat them is if we put everything on the line.’

Huez, Jenelle Ferri and Anne-Marie Lapalme will play their last game as Orangewomen. The fourth graduating senior, Erica Mastrogiacomo, will not play because of a knee injury sustained earlier in the season.

‘This is an ending period for the seniors,’ Mastrogiacomo said. ‘We’re hoping to play a good game and go out in a positive (way).’

Said Huez: ‘It’s a really important game. I just want to go out on a good note. I want to have no regrets. A win would be the best way to end my career.’

SU refuses call the 2003 campaign a failure. Even after losing a must-win game to Connecticut, 6-0, the Orangewomen are looking to tonight’s game for redemption.

‘It’s always sad to come to a close,’ Scalzo said,’ especially when we’re not in the postseason. But we’ve had a great experience. Just because we didn’t get the result all the time doesn’t mean we are not a good team. All that matters is we all came together and made it through the season.’

The Tigers (9-1-3, 3-1-1 Ivy League) are the last opponent for SU, and knocking off a ranked opponent at home would make for a memorable upset.

Said Scalzo: ‘We need to take some pride and put it all on the line.’

Published on October 28, 2003 at 12:00 pm