No. 5 Syracuse Still Perfect With 5-0 Win Over Ball State.

Story and Photo by Robin Deehan

The No. 5 Syracuse field hockey team is still perfect after steamrolling Ball State 5-0 today at Coyne field.

Co-captain Kati Nearhouse made her Orange debut today scoring two goals after missing all of last season and the first five games of this season due to NCAA rules.

“She was just excited,” head coach Ange Bradley said. “It’s been a long time for her, having that year of redshirting, she was excited, it was time.”

Nearhouse, a graduate student who had to sit out after transferring from Old Dominion, said she was excited and anxious before her first game on Coyne but said missing last season worked to her advantage.

“It was good, I had a year so I could learn how Syracuse works together and how the team works together, so it was a good thing,” Nearhouse said.

Nearhouse got things moving for the Orange 18 minutes into the first half by putting back a rebound that came off Ball State goalkeeper Shelby Henley.

15 minutes later, Lauren Brooks scored on an assist by Lieke Visser right before the half.

“It’s very natural we find each other very good on the field,” Visser said of Brooks.

Visser and Brooks connected again to open second half scoring when Brooks knocked one in from five yards out off another Visser feed.

That was the third assist Visser gave Brooks in the last two days.

“She’s (Visser) really good at finding the seams between the defense and just connecting with all of us up front,” Brooks said.

Visser finally netted a goal of her own off a pass from Jordan Page when SU was awarded a penalty corner in the 52^nd minute.

Twelve minutes later, Visser finished off the scoring when she sent a ball to Nearhouse who buried it from just inside the circle. 

Visser was involved with four of the five Syracuse goals finishing with one goal and three assists bringing her assist total to nine this season.

“She’s a really smart player,” Bradley said. .  “She sees the field very well and that’s a special gift that not many people have, and she’s really capitalizing on her gifts and sharing those strengths with us, and we’re really pleased about it.”

Ball State’s best chance at scoring came seven minutes into the second half when it had three penalty corners in a row. 

Ball State could not convert any of the corners and did not get another shot on SU goalkeeper Jess Jecko for the rest of the game.

SU outshot its opponent 28-4 and Jecko came away with three saves.  

Ball State dropped to 3-1 on the season as Syracuse improved to 6-0.

No. 5 Syracuse will travel to No. 2 UNC (4-0) on Friday to open ACC play. UNC is coming off a big weekend after beating No. 1 Maryland yesterday 3-1.