Soaring on a season-high, three-game winning streak, the Syracuse field hockey team will try to maintain its momentum into today’s 7 p.m. game against Colgate at Coyne Field.

The wins come at the best time of the season, as the Orangewomen (10-6, 2-2 Big East) are trying to secure a spot in the Big East tournament.

“We’re really clicking right now,” senior Kristin Aronowicz said. “All the pieces are coming together at the right time.”

Last Friday, Aronowicz probably would have felt differently.

Already with two conference losses, Syracuse found itself on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time, as it trailed Providence, 1-0, midway through the second half Friday.

“Until our backs are against the wall,” senior Becky Kohler said, “we don’t perform to our potential.”

With SU’s potential playoff spot on the line, Aronowicz tied the game on a penalty stroke. With under a minute to play, sophomore Lindsay Peirson scored the game-winner and all but secured Syracuse a postseason spot.

Now, to miss the tourney, SU must lose its final conference game at Connecticut, and the Friars must win their final two conference contests.

“We finally got some urgency in our butt,” Kohler said. “We realized the season’s almost over, and Friday night (our postseason chances) would’ve been over had we lost.”

“We always wait for someone to score before we pick it up,” Aronowicz said. “We scored in the first five minutes (Oct. 8) against (Cornell), and it really helped set the tone early. We need to start doing that more.”

Indeed. Aronowicz’s goal five minutes into the game against Cornell is the only time Syracuse has struck early this season.

“Some games we came out ready to play,” senior Michelle Marks said. “Against other teams, we don’t. I can’t explain it.”

The mystery has baffled coaches and players because Syracuse returned many players from last year’s Big East championship team.

Kohler pointed to Syracuse’s problems with handling success.

“Last year, we played with the sense of wanting to prove everyone wrong,” Kohler said. “Until (Friday’s) game, we sat back and thought it was going to just happen.”

Rekindling last year’s desire, Syracuse defeated Dartmouth, 2-0, on Sunday behind another penalty stroke from Aronowicz and a goal from Ann-Marie Guglieri.

Syracuse also got a boost from goalkeeper Audrey Latsko, who stopped seven shots. Latsko also got help from her defense.

“Our defense didn’t get enough credit,” Aronowicz said. “They played incredibly. This team is really clicking.”

Syracuse has defeated Colgate by a combined score of 10-2 the last two years, and tonight’s game should be a tuneup for Saturday’s Big East game at Connecticut.

“(Colgate) always plays its best game against us,” Marks said. “It’s like us and Cornell. They play harder because they’re so close.”

***

This and that

Aronowicz on Monday was named Big East co-offensive player of the week, along with Connecticut’s Lauren Henderson. Aronowicz is six points from becoming Syracuse’s all-time leading scorer.

“You pretty much know how it works when you’re a senior,” Aronowicz said. “If you score a goal, you’re going to be offensive player of the week.”

Published on October 22, 2002 at 12:00 pm