SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The No. 4 Syracuse field hockey team is headed to the NCAA final four after a 3-1 win over No. 6 Penn State at J.S. Coyne Stadium Sunday.
“We were outstanding,”
head coach Ange Bradley said. “We moved the ball incredibly well, moved off
ball, countered, and our passing game was really good today.”
This will be the second final four appearance for the Orange
in the last three seasons.
“I’m just so proud of these women, we have a lot of freshmen
doing something for the first time, and they’re a really special group,” Bradley
said.
The Orange got a head start to the final four just five
minutes into the game when Laura Hurff found Emma Russell on a breakaway.
“I think it was really important that we started out strong
in the first 10-15 minutes, so to come out and in control and score the first
goal was really important for our team, it was really good to start off the
game strong,” Russell said.
Just 14 minutes after Russell’s goal Lauren Brooks scored on
a reverse shot to the far post to extend the Orange lead by two.
Minutes before halftime Lies Lagerweij found the back of the
cage after diving for a ball at the near post.
“I was laying on the ground, just kind of doing something
with my stick, and it just went in,” Lagerweij said.
The Orange went into halftime with a comfortable 3-0 lead
that held until the 68th minute when Penn State scored its first and
only goal of the game.
SU goalkeeper Jess Jecko had seven saves on the day
including a crucial stop on a Penn State penalty stroke.
The Orange will face ACC rival No. 1 North Carolina, for the
third time this season, Nov. 21 in College Park, MD in the national
semi-final. The Orange lost at Chapel Hill, 3-0 on Sept 12, then beat the Tar Heels, 3-2 in overtime in the ACC Tournament semi-final in Durham.
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