For 21 years, one team has always stood in the way of the Syracuse field hockey team.

The annual loss was practically a guarantee. Even in 1993, when SU won its first Big East Conference championship and got to its first NCAA tournament, this team beat the Orange twice, knocking SU out of the tournament quarterfinals and leaving it one win shy of the Final Four.

But yesterday at Coyne Field was different. The Orange celebrated a 3-2 overtime victory over the biggest hurdle in program history: the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Meredith Gettel threw her stick into the air as her team rushed along the turf to celebrate with her. Tri-captain Lindsay Kocher ran to head coach Kathleen Parker. Kocher put her hands on her hips and gave Parker that look. The one that says, ‘it’s about time.’ Then they embraced.

‘I’m ecstatic,’ Parker said. ‘This team believed they could do it and they really are starting to believe in themselves.’

Penn State had a 21-0-1 record in 21 years against Syracuse. It entered the game ranked No. 17 in the country. But it ran into an Orange team that was playing with a lot of confidence. Syracuse (4-4 overall, 1-0 Big East) picked up two wins on the road against Rutgers and No. 19 Hofstra and looked just as solid in the first half against the Nittany Lions.

The offensive onslaught paid off with four minutes remaining in the half, when senior Brittany Carriero scored the first goal of the game off a rebound from a Kocher shot.

Carriero almost put the game out of reach early in the second half, shooting the ball right through the goalie’s legs. It tight-roped along the goal line but couldn’t get past the cage.

Penn State quickly responded with a goal at the back post off a rebound past a sprawling Betsy Wagner.

‘No, I really didn’t (think one goal would hold up),’ Parker said. ‘(Penn State) is never going to roll over and die.’

It didn’t rest on its laurels after one goal either, as Karen Grap scored her second goal of the afternoon for the Lions.

Senior Leah McKay notched the equalizer, though, scoring off a broken penalty corner. The goal lit a fire under the team at Coyne Field. The Orange proceeded to create a number of scoring opportunities to end its losing streak, but couldn’t find the back of the cage.

SU found it soon, though, when Gettel started the celebration less than three minutes into the extra period.

‘We wanted to take care of it right away,’ McKay said.

‘Thank God,’ said Wagner, who finished with eight saves. ‘It’s been about time. It’s so good to just shove it down their throats.’

Published on September 22, 2004 at 12:00 pm