Taylor Haenlin hurried SU up field in a frantic last attempt to tie the game against Clemson. The sophomore defender clumsily struck the ensuing pass and whiffed when a teammate passed the ball back to her, watching it roll innocently toward the SU sideline.

Head coach Phil Wheddon tightly crossed his arms and leaned back, visibly disappointed, as he searched for an answer to his questions.

“After putting in two very good performances last week, I thought we had found our niche,” Wheddon said. “I thought we had found our way to play the game.”

Wheddon admitted that Syracuse (4-7-1, 0-5-1 Atlantic Coast) looked terrible from start to finish against the Tigers (6-2-3, 3-1-1), showing a lack of composure and concentration in an eventual 1-0 loss on Thursday at SU Soccer Stadium.

The Orange came out with a re-sharpened focus against Wake Forest (8-2-1, 3-2-1) on Sunday, playing with a higher level of energy and enthusiasm, but SU lost a second-straight home game 1-0.

The Orange players looked dejected during postgame interviews after the team took an unexpected step backward against the Tigers. A week ago, SU showed noticeable improvement in overcoming a two-goal deficit to tie then-No. 18 Duke.

But against Clemson, the concentration wasn’t there.

“We just weren’t there mentally on the field,” freshman midfielder Maddie Damm said. “We weren’t connecting (on passes) very well and we made silly mistakes throughout the game.”

Sophomore forward Erin Simon said she felt an unsettling vibe during the pregame warm-up drills. It was a familiar feeling that Simon said she experienced in a similar warm-up routine before a home game against Farleigh Dickinson, in which the Orange struggled to compete.

“You can feel it between each other … the energy just isn’t right,” Simon said.

The pregame funk surfaced on the field as the Orange struggled to find a rhythm moving the ball. The Syracuse players forced themselves into tough spots, dribbling into the corner and finding it difficult to deliver any quality crosses.

Wheddon said he noticed the Orange played with a renewed focus against Wake Forest on Sunday. SU looked visibly energized as it tried to match the Demon Deacons’ competitiveness.

But an early 1-0 setback pressured SU into forcing uncharacteristic mistakes, which impeded its ability to capitalize on scoring chances in the attacking third.

“I felt that we got desperate at times, and served some balls in the box that we probably didn’t need to,” Wheddon said. “As a result, a lot of balls went over the (cross)bar or into their defense.”

The Orange continued to show frustration with each missed scoring opportunity. Simon said the players were desperate to score that elusive equalizer, and the tension caused them to be antsy and anxious.

Often times, SU would use effective combination passes to advance the ball up the sidelines. The forwards couldn’t maintain composure once the Demon Deacon defenders enclosed with tight pressure, prompting a sloppy pass or turnover.

Wheddon said he was encouraged with SU’s effort on Sunday, but stressed that his team needs to “breathe and relax” to avoid playing frantically under pressure.

The Orange encountered a tough test of character over the weekend, and despite the lingering disappointment, Wheddon and his team will reflect on their mistakes and remain professional in their approach to finding more consistency.

If SU learns to stay poised on the attack, Simon said she is confident the Orange can get over the hump.

“We definitely have to pick our heads up. We have to believe in ourselves that we can play in the ACC,” Simon said. “We know we can play with these teams, we just have to capitalize on our opportunities.”

Published on September 30, 2013 at 1:54 am