No. 3 Syracuse (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) waited nearly 40 extra minutes to begin the 2014 season after a thunderstorm settled over Southern Oak Stadium and delayed the team’s season opener against Jacksonville (0-1) Tuesday night.

But then it was time for the Orange offense to unleash its own storm.

Syracuse scored 16 first half goals, including a combined nine tallies by attackers Alyssa Murray and Kayla Treanor, and cruised to an easy 21-7 victory over the Dolphins in front of 229 fans. The goal count equaled SU’s 2013 season high, which it reached on three occasions.

The Orange wasted no time in attacking the defending Atlantic Sun Conference champions. Only 51 seconds into the contest, Kailah Kempney gave SU a 1-0 lead off an assist from Treanor. Minutes later, Amy Cross received a beautiful feed from Murray in front of the net and converted to double the advantage.

That was only the beginning.

Murray quickly followed with two of her four total goals. Then Katie Webster and Erica Bodt scored to put the Orange ahead by six.

Jacksonville sophomore Kelsey Wiglesworth broke the shutout and cut the lead to five with 18 minutes remaining in the first half, but that would be as close as the Dolphins would get. Treanor then took over and added five goals before the end of the half.

After Kempney added to the 17-3 only 14 seconds out of the break, the Orange reserves tacked on another four goals in the remaining minutes.

Treanor finished the game with a career-high 11 points, and 11 different players scored goals for the Orange.

Syracuse now holds an all-time record of 11-5 on opening day and hasn’t lost a season opener since Gary Gait took over as head coach in 2008.

The Orange will be back in action Friday at 7 p.m. against Stetson at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Published on January 22, 2014 at 1:32 am

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