After intercepting a pass from a Drexel defender intended for goalkeeper Eve Badana, Alex Lamontagne streaked toward the goal. Badana, the only one who stood between Lamontagne and the goal, creeped up toward Lamontagne. But Lamontagne slipped the ball around Badana and ran behind her.

After tapping the ball into the empty net to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead, Lamontagne dropped to her knees and pumped both fists.

“I knew (the defender) was going to pass back so I just tried to get my butt back and get there,” Lamontagne said.

The goal gave Syracuse a 1-0 lead — its first goal in the first half of a game since it scored three times in the opening half against Massachusetts on Aug. 21 — and was Lamontagne’s second of the season. And after Drexel scored an equalizer early in the second half, Lamontagne quickly responded with another goal. It put Syracuse (4-4-1) up for good over the Dragons (6-3) in the Orange’s 3-2 win at SU Soccer Stadium on Thursday night, as Lamontagne’s quickness was on display throughout.

Nearly eight full games separated Lamontagne’s first goal of 2015, which came in the second half against Massachusetts, and her second. But only 10 minutes of game time separated that goal and her third.

With the score knotted at 1-1 in the 50th minute after Drexel’s Vanessa Kara scored in the 48th minute, Syracuse’s Jackie Firenze possessed the ball near midfield. She then lofted a pass high to Lamontagne. Again, only Badana separated Lamontagne and a go-ahead score. This time, Lamontagne simply tucked the ball past Badana and into the back of the net.

Lamontagne immediately ran right of the goal, toward the flag stick, and screamed before being mauled by her teammates. On the bench, Eva Gourdeau pretended to bow down to Lamontagne. As Lamontagne ran toward the bench to accept high-fives, SU head coach Phil Wheddon set down his clipboard and congratulated her.

“To get a second (goal), right now, for her is a huge confidence boost,” Wheddon said.

On both goals, it was Lamontagne’s speed that allowed her to get behind Drexel’s back line and score, forward Alexis Koval said. And it was that speed that allowed Lamontagne to create a number of other scoring opportunities, even when she didn’t capitalize.

With just over 23 minutes left in the first half, Lamontagne sped into the penalty box unaccounted for as Eva Gordon crossed a pass toward her, forcing Badana to dive to the ground to grab the ball. With about 36 minutes left, Lamontagne had no trouble getting around Drexel’s right back and into the box, where Lamontagne got off a shot that was blocked.

“She’s got dynamic movement,” Wheddon said. “The other teams have to respect her. They have to track her. And when she pulls two defenders out … that allows other players to be open. For us, Alex is maturing as a player.”

With just over a minute to play, Firenze sent a pass from Syracuse’s side of the field toward Lamontagne, who was near the goal after again getting behind the Drexel defender that was supposed to be guarding her.

This time, Badana got to the ball first and grabbed it before Lamontagne could get a shot on goal. But in terms of deciding the game’s outcome, it didn’t matter. With two of SU’s three goals, Lamontagne had done her part.

Said Lamontagne: “I think I just tried to stay more composed… Just trying to get open and get through those seams.”

Published on September 17, 2015 at 10:42 pm

Contact Michael: mdburk01@syr.edu