It didn’t take long for SU head coach Gary Gait to realize that Boston College’s defensive plan was to completely shut down Alyssa Murray and Kayla Treanor.

As a result, Syracuse was held scoreless for almost the first 17 minutes of the game. The Orange’s two top scorers were getting doubled each time they got the ball, and Gait started drawing up plays for other options.

“There’s always that chance that teams are going to shut off Treanor and Alyssa Murray,” said midfielder Katie Webster, who scored three goals against BC. “It’s always good to be prepared to step up.”

Now, second-seeded Syracuse (20-2, 6-1 Atlantic Coast) is preparing to use its depth to combat a Murray and Treanor shutdown once again against No. 6-seed Virginia (12-8, 3-4) in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament in Towson, Md. on Friday at 5 p.m.

On Saturday, BC’s game plan worked early but ultimately backfired, as a four-minute, four-goal spurt from SU’s other attacks propelled Syracuse to a 11-9 win in the quarterfinal matchup.

Treanor was held to two goals and Murray one, and the pair has combined for just seven total in Syracuse’s two NCAA tournament wins.

“Kayla Treanor’s one of the best attackers in the game, and Alyssa Murray is a great one-two punch,” Virginia head coach Julie Myers said. “Containing those two, which is a tall task, is going to be really important. But you also have to worry about their midfield.

“They’ve got threats everywhere.”

When Syracuse hosted Stony Brook in the round of 16 on May 11, Murray scored the game’s first four goals in the opening nine minutes.

But when the SBU defense shifted its focus to her, it created opportunities for her to pass the ball or just draw away defenders in a 13-6 rout of the Seawolves.

It’s a catch-22 for any opposing defense that is forced to pick its poison.

Even though each part of the duo has been a scoring threat all season, both making the five-player Tewaaraton Award finalists list, they aren’t fazed if they’re not the ones scoring.

“That’s what makes this team special,” Murray said. “We’ve had a lot of tight games. We’ve done really well this season, but its not one or two specific people on the field.”

Murray said that the Virginia defense isn’t the type to go out and chase her and Treanor around, and added that they might pack in and force Syracuse to create.
When Syracuse played at Virginia on Feb. 23, Treanor scored five goals. Murray added two more. Syracuse won 18-14.

This time the Orange is preparing for all possible defensive approaches.

“You don’t really know before games. We’ve been doubled before, we’re used to it,” Treanor said. “We’re just focusing on getting in our offense, and helping our teammates.”

The depth of the Syracuse offense is one of its greatest, but possibly unknown strengths.

With Treanor and Murray combining for almost 45 percent of the team’s points, the rest of the players have spent much of the season in the back seat.

But after the powerful duo, the Orange features seven players that have scored at least 12 goals each this season.

And in SU’s biggest game of the season Friday, the role players may need to step up once again.

“There’s going to be those games where Alyssa Murray and Kayla Treanor have those open looks and that’s great,” Webster said. “And then there’s those other games when they’re going to get defended really hard.

“We know we have to step up.”

Published on May 22, 2014 at 11:30 am

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