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After Syracuse started its season with back-to-back wins over then-No. 13 Stanford and Binghamton, it hosted the first top five matchup of the year against No. 4 Stony Brook. The Orange and the Seawolves kept the game tight in the first half, as SU held a one-goal lead after 30 minutes. The back-and-forth affair stayed that way in the second half, with both teams exchanging leads. But the Orange held on after the Seawolves scored the only two goals in the fourth quarter to win. 

Here are some observations from No. 3 Syracuse’s (3-0) 12-11 win over No. 4 Stony Brook (0-1) on Sunday:

Game of scoring runs

The Orange’s first game of the season against a top five opponent became a game of many scoring runs. After Ellie Masera scored twice to make the score 2-1, Syracuse scored four consecutive goals to take the lead. It started with the Tyrrell sisters assisting on each other’s goals to give SU a 3-2 advantage. Emily Hawryschuk and Meaghan Tyrrell then scored in less than two minutes to increase SU’s lead. 

In the third quarter, the Seawolves also went on a run to hold a second-half lead. Kyla Zapolski quickly entered the 8-meter to beat North Carolina transfer Kimber Hower to start the run. Stony Brook then proceeded to outscore SU 3-1 over the next three minutes, but the Orange responded with another 4-0 run. Megan Carney would start the run on a free-position goal, then sending a pass over the net to Olivia Adamson, who scored easily. Meaghan Tyrrell then increased the run to three straight on a one-bounce goal, and then Adamson scored SU’s final goal of the game to make the score 12-9. 

The final quarter saw Stony Brook go on another run, though this one was with fewer goals. With SU up three, Siobhan Rafferty opened the scoring with a goal within the 8-meter. Eight minutes later, Zapolski scored her second goal on a woman-up and Syracuse’s lead was just a goal, but the Orange would hold on and seal the win.

Megan Carney leads the attack 

Carney’s return from her ACL tear saw her start on the bench against Stanford. She finished with one goal against the Cardinal and four against Binghamton. But against Stony Brook, Carney led the way for Syracuse, scoring a team-high seven points. 

Early in the game, Carney was creating chances for SU. Carney circled around the net, looking to take a shot, but Charlie Campbell made the stop. Carney used her position from the back of the net to assist on multiple Syracuse goals. At the start of the second quarter, Carney lobbed a pass over the right side of the net. Hawryschuk scored on the bounce shot. Minutes later, Carney would do the same for Meaghan Tyrrell, who scored her second goal of the game. 

At the end of the half, Hawryschuk was at the center of the arc, drawing defenders toward her, leaving Carney open. Carney beat Campbell in a one-on-one matchup to make the score 6-4. 

After the Seawolves went on a 4-1 run in the third quarter to retake the lead, Carney tied the game on a free-position goal. She then assisted on Adamson’s first goal of the game as the Orange retook the lead with less than six minutes left in the third quarter. The game was the first time this season Carney led the Orange in points. 

Mashewske’s improvement on the draw

In Syracuse’s 23-6 win over Binghamton, Kate Mashewske, the Orange’s draw control specialist, had more draw controls than the entire Bearcat team. But against Stony Brook, the first half was challenging for Mashewske. 

Stony Brook’s Charlotte Verhulst won the first draw, allowing Masera to score her first of the game. In the second quarter, Verhulst beat Mashewske again and the SU specialist got called for a foul. On the ensuing possession, Rayna Sabella scored to cut the Orange’s lead down to two goals. After the first 30 minutes, Verhulst doubled Mashewske’s number of draw controls. Mashewske improved early in the second half, beating Verhulst, which allowed Carney to score to increase SU’s lead.

Sam Swart creating plays in transition

While Sam Swart was credited with no assists in the first half against the Seawolves, her transition play helped create offensive chances for SU. While sprinting into Stony Brook’s zone, Swart dumped the ball off to Sierra Cockerille, who played it to Hawryschuk. The Orange were now quickly rushing the zone and had a chance to score if not for an errant pass from Hawryschuk to Emma Tyrrell. But Swart’s play eventually led to a Syracuse goal.

Swart threw a high pass to Savannah Sweitzer, who played it to Meaghan Tyrrell  before finding Emma Tyrrell as she entered the 8-meter. Emma Tyrrell fired a shot that beat Campbell to give the Orange their first lead of the game. 

In the third quarter, Swart led an attack that helped end a Seawolves’ potential scoring chance. After Hower made a stick save, Swart used her speed to put the Orange back on offense. She moved past multiple Stony Brook players and kept the ball within the opponent’s zone for the next three minutes before Adamson scored her second goal of the game.

Published on February 20, 2022 at 6:46 pm

Contact Henry: henrywobrien1123@gmail.com