Syracuse, N.Y-
Gary Gait, Syracuse women’s lacrosse head coach, started the post-game interview by saying “what a game” four times.
No. 3/2 Syracuse got outscored, 6-3, in the second half against unranked UConn. SU saw a four-point first-half lead shrank into only one three times in the second half, but managed to hold on for a 12-11 win.
Syracuse senior attack Kailah Kempney controlled the draw after UConn’s last goal at 1:17 mark. The Huskies strove for the possession of the ball but was called for a foul. Syracuse maintained that possession and thus the lead to the end of the game. The Orange improved to 5-0 after the victory at the Carrier Dome on Wednesday night.
“That team played hard,” Gait said. “They never gave up. They fought. They played us tough today and I got to get UConn a lot of credit on their effort today.”
Syracuse junior Kayla Treanor contributed five goals, two of which came in the second half. Halle Majorana had two goals and three assists. Kempney won 13 of Orange’s 19 draw controls, where the Orange led the Huskies by 14.
However, Syracuse committed 23 turnovers, the most of the season. It also had 27 fouls.
“I have never seen so many turnovers and unforced errors in a home game like that in a long long time,” Gait said.
Intense Second Half
Syracuse closed out a 9-5 first half with a 3-0 run, including a Treanor goal as time ran out. The Orange kept the momentum at the beginning of the second by shooting four times in the first five minutes. However, the Huskies' goalie Shannon Nee saved all three shots that were on target. She made seven saves in that half, frustrating the Orange who outshot the Huskies, 13-9, in that period.
Kempney finally beat Nee with a bounce shot and Syracuse took a 10-6 lead with 20:32 left. However, UConn scored three goals in the next 11 minutes, firing up its fans. Treanor then scored for the Orange on a Kelly Cross’ assist. Forty-four seconds later, UConn cut the Orange lead to one again. Treanor converted a free position shot, before UConn's Emily Anderson’s first goal of the game made it a one-point game for the third and last time.
“I just ended up with the ball,” Treanor said, crediting her teammates for creating opportunities for her. “I don’t think it had anything to do with myself.”
Kelsey Richardson shook her head when looking at the stat sheet. The Orange goalie also had a busy evening. UConn launched 20 shots in the game and Richardson had five saves.
“I thought I had a lot more than five saves,” she said, eliciting some laughter from her teammates at the media opportunity after the win.
Up Next
This is the second time in the season that the Orange has won by one point. Syracuse defeated No. 8 Virginia two days ago at home, 14-13.
Syracuse will take on another ranked team, No.7/6 Boston College on Saturday. The ACC rivalry game starts at noon in the Carrier Dome.
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