Last season, the dream was to become a “power-four team,” head coach Gary Gait had said. Against Northwestern in the quarterfinal of the NCAA tournament, that dream collapsed. 

The then-No. 5 Orange were eliminated by the No. 4 Wildcats. Despite a two-hour lightning delay that nearly allowed SU to mount a comeback, it ultimately couldn’t overcome its seven-goal halftime deficit. 

“We were close,” Gait had said after the loss. 

Saturday night, the Orange got their revenge. No. 7 Syracuse (4-1) upset No. 6 Northwestern (3-2) on the Wildcats’ home turf in Evanston, Illinois. Six goals from Emily Hawryschuk, the nation’s leading scorer, paired with five from Meaghan Tyrrell lifted SU to its first victory against a ranked opponent this season. 

In Syracuse’s last two games, it conceded five goals. But as a defensive unit, the Orange were very aware that those goals came against Albany and Binghamton, offenses which aren’t near the caliber of Northwestern’s. The Wildcats led the country in goals, averaging more than 24 per game through their first four games, in addition to having the highest shooting percentage in the nation (61.8%). 

Though Northwestern no longer had its star attack Selena Lasota, who scored 85 goals during her senior season last year, it has now developed a more balanced attack, Gait said. The scoresheet now includes a wider variety of players, including Lauren Gilbert and Izzy Scane. 

“It’s a typical Northwestern team where they all work incredibly hard and they move the ball,” Gait said Thursday. 

The question was if Syracuse’s backline could hold up. And in the first 10 minutes, it proved it could, not allowing any shots. The Orange defense was able to contain Gilbert and Scane, who were both among the top 10 scorers in the country before Saturday’s matchup, holding Gilbert to two goals and Scane scoreless. 

The Orange took a commanding 6-2 lead in the first half, but a defensive collapse allowed Northwestern to go on a 6-1 run. Unnecessary turnovers, fouls and failed clearances paved the path for a Wildcat comeback. By halftime, despite a dominant first 25 minutes, SU trailed 8-7. 

Before the game, Gait pointed to time of possession and draw controls as essential if Syracuse wanted to leave Evanston with a win. In order to “limit Northwestern’s opportunities,” they needed to take up as much clock as possible, he said. 

The Orange finished the game with 14 draw controls compared to NU’s 16, but Syracuse’s second-half dominance in the draw drove its success. With the score tied at 10, the Orange won four draw controls and went on a 6-1 scoring run in the latter part of the second half. 

That, combined with success from free-position shots — which Gait said the team has been focusing extra on during practice — allowed the Orange to hand the Wildcats’ their second loss of the season. Of its 10 free-position shots, five of them were goals for SU. Northwestern also scored five free-position goals.

Tyrrell and Hawryschuk both scored two free-position goals. In her first four games, Tyrell scored a combined six goals. Saturday, she had five along with an assist. 

“We’re pretty well prepared,” Gait said before the game. “it’s just a matter of stepping onto the field and executing the game plan.” 

Saturday evening, the Orange did just that.

Published on February 22, 2020 at 11:26 pm

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