Women's Lacrosse

Syracuse’s offense clicks in 16-5 blowout win against Wagner

Larry E. Reid Jr. | Staff Photographer

Kayla Treanor's five assists helped orchestrate SU's offense on Sunday in the Orange's 16-5 win against Wagner. Treanor also tacked on two goals.

With her back to the net, Riley Donahue popped the ball out of her stick and faked a pass to a cutting teammate. Her right shoulder dipped toward the middle, the defender fell for it and Donahue spun toward the inside, suddenly alone with Wagner goalkeeper Kelsey Fee.

Donahue faked right and Fee paid for biting. Fifty-six seconds in, Syracuse held a 1-0 advantage. Donahue threw her stick to the ground. It was a gauntlet Wagner never picked up.

Katie Rowan, Wagner’s first-year coach, is Syracuse’s all-time leading scorer, but her return to the Carrier Dome Sunday found no such success. In the two teams first-ever meeting, the Orange (3-0) proved to have simply too much firepower for the Seahawks (0-2) to handle. Senior Tewaaraton award finalist Kayla Treanor paced the Orange offense with seven points while Donahue and Halle Majorana contributed hat tricks. The 16-5 win continued SU’s roll from its opening weekend, when it posted 26 goals in wins over then-No. 13 Loyola and Binghamton.

“This is a really talented team,” Rowan said. “… This could be the year they go all the way.”

In the first 16 minutes, Syracuse had scored nine goals and the team had abandoned its initial offensive set that included working the ball around the goal from 8 meters.



Instead, the offense ran mainly through pick-and-rolls and flashes to the middle near the 8-meter line.

By the time Taylor Gait’s roll to the middle put SU up 8-0 with 15:32 to go, Rowan had seen enough, calling timeout. Her head down, Rowan put her left hand to her forehead and gathered her team.

The Seahawks ended the last 14:45 of the first half on a 2-1 run, one of which was scored by Kimmy Tumolo, the sister of SU assistant coach Michelle. Wagner’s defense settled in and denied passes to cutters in the middle. That, combined the Orange’s backups larger role, led to Syracuse struggles to finish as consistently in the final latter half of the first period.

“(I said), we needed to stay more composed,” Rowan said. “We know they’re looking for back-checks, so just keep your feet moving … and we’ll work through it.”

The glimmer of hope didn’t last. Eight seconds into the second half, Majorana received a long pass down the middle of field. She feinted right and flicked the ball behind her left shoulder into the net.

When Majorana scored again three minutes later, the 10-goal lead switched on the mercy-rule running clock. Starting goalkeeper Allie Murray was replaced by backup Bri Stahrr. Three minutes later, Treanor scored again and SU head coach Gary Gait turned to assistant coach Regy Thorpe and gave a thumbs up.

Four backups sprinted onto the field and, in much the same fashion they had the weekend before, closed the game as caretakers for a second-half Orange lead.





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