Gary Gait acknowledges that his defense is more aggressive than most. Most teams don’t run a zone defense and Syracuse’s backer zone features more aggressive play, closing out and pressuring the ball.

Gait thinks that because of the difference in style, referees tend to call more fouls on the Orange.

“Sometimes I watch and I hear the whistle go and I ask myself, ‘Why,’” Gait said. “… I think it’s a unique combination of getting a reputation and all of a sudden they’re blowing the whistle a lot.”

Fouls have been a problem for Syracuse so far this season, averaging 37.67 fouls per game, 10 more than the next-closest team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. No. 4 SU (8-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) looks to eliminate whistles and, with them, eight-meter opportunities on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Carrier Dome as it takes on Connecticut (7-1, 1-0 American Athletic).

In some of the biggest games of the season, fouls against SU’s defense played a major part. In an 11-10 overtime loss to then-No. 2 Florida, Syracuse fouled 42 times and in a 16-12 win over then-No. 7 Northwestern, there were 53 fouls against the Orange, assistant coach Regy Thorpe said.

The backer zone defense requires players to quickly cover ground and approach charging offensive players anywhere from 5 to 7 yards away, break down in front of them and successfully defend the scoring opportunity.

“We know it’s not good to foul and we’re not trying to foul,” said senior defender and captain Mallory Vehar. “But sometimes it happens.”

With the constant moving parts of Syracuse’s active zone, the likelihood of a foul being called increases. Vehar thinks the number is too high, regardless of whether Syracuse if falling victim to errant calls from referees or whether its aggressive defense is in fact prone to fouls.

While Gait said he may switch to a less aggressive defense in the right situation, the high numbers of fouls aren’t alarming enough to warrant an immediate scheme switch.

“We’re trying to do what we need to do to have success on the defensive end,” Gait said.

SU ranks fifth in the ACC in goals against — 9.08 per game — and has had success defensively. Gait doesn’t think fouls have cost SU a game yet this season and believes mental errors have been more costly.

But the threat remains, and the defense has focused on limiting fouls and learning to mix caution with its high tempo. When a whistle is blown, opponents receive an eight-meter opportunity with ample free space to potentially leave goalkeeper Allie Murray exposed.

Primarily, the team works on approach drills where players perform anywhere from 5- to 10-yard sprints out to close the gap as the ball reverses around the outside of the defensive zone. The exercise teaches reflexively quick response times, but emphasize poise and control in the approach in an attempt to limit fouls and the opportunities that accompany them.

“It comes down to discipline and learning and we’ve made some adjustments,” Thorpe said. “You can’t be out of control and we’ve had to do some fundamental work on our approach and our bumps.”

Published on March 29, 2016 at 12:52 am

Contact Liam: lpsull01@syr.edu