On a team with more than three times the amount of freshmen as seniors, experience still took precedence in a weekend sweep for Syracuse.

Senior Lauren Brooks and redshirt senior Kati Nearhouse combined for five goals on the weekend for No. 5 Syracuse (6-0) in a 2-1 victory over Albany (4-1) on Saturday and a 5-0 defeat of Ball State (3-1) on Sunday. Both games were at J.S. Coyne Stadium, before crowds of 212 and 263, respectively.

Albany had yet to be down in a game all year until Brooks found the upper-left corner of the goal to break a 1-1 tie with less than five minutes to go in regulation. On Sunday, Brooks kept her momentum going against Ball State.

“Lauren has a mentality of, ‘Just get it done,’” head coach Ange Bradley said. “I’d want a Lauren Brooks on my side if I was going to war.”

With SU already out to a 1-0 lead against Ball State, Brooks fired a backhand shot from just inside the circle that skirted right past goalie Shelby Henley. She was one of six Syracuse players to fire off at least three shots, but two of hers found the back of the net.

Nearhouse had an identical stat line. After sitting out the first five games of this season per NCAA rules, she made her long-awaited debut Sunday.

She was in the right place at the right time to collect her first goal. On a rebound deflected by Henley, the ball ricocheted up into the air and Nearhouse was there for the putback to give the Orange a 1-0 lead 18:09 into the game.

Although she’s been described as a fearless player on the field by her teammates, she didn’t feel that way before her SU debut.

“I think you’re always nervous before a game,” Nearhouse said, “and especially before your first one back like today. I was nervous but, you know, I’m just excited to play.”

SU’s offense appeared eager to play after a lackluster showing against a tough Albany defense. Bradley said on Saturday, her team was giving the ball away too much and making poor passes. The Orange responded a day later by outshooting a previously unbeaten Ball State team, 28-4.

After Nearhouse opened the scoring, Brooks and freshman midfielder Lieke Visser began forming a profitable bond. Visser connected with Brooks just as she entered the circle and Brooks’ shot found the back of the net with a minute and a half left in the first half.

Twelve minutes into the second half, another Visser-Brooks production was unveiled. This time, Visser found Brooks at the back post to put Syracuse up 3-0.

Nearhouse provided the fifth and final offensive spark for the Orange, sailing a shot past a fully extended Henley to put SU up 5-0 with about five minutes left in the game.

Brooks credited Visser, who facilitated the offense with three assists.

“Lieke was able to find me two different times,” Brooks said, “and I think her distributing is really working out for us as a team.”

“We’re opening up seams and finding the open space behind defenders.”

Visser said the work they’ve done in practice has made the on-field connection between the two come natural.

She has not had much time to develop chemistry on the field with her teammates. But against Ball State, the rookie looked the part of a seasoned veteran as she assisted on both of Brooks’ goals with well-placed passes.

The opening weekend for seniors Brooks and Nearhouse carries significant weight both on and off the field. Bradley expects the two — as well as senior Jordan Page — to anchor her underclassmen-filled team and, most importantly, show them how to win.

“Experience is going to matter quite a bit this year,” Bradley said. “They’ve got to keep helping the young kids along because they’re the ones out on the field with them, not me.”

Published on September 8, 2014 at 12:10 am

Contact Connor: cgrossma@syr.edu | @connorgrossman