Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse has been tested through the first half of its season. Six of SU’s first eight games have come against ranked opponents, which has come with mixed success. With losses against Northwestern, Maryland and Stony Brook, Syracuse quickly matched its total losses from all of 2023. But wins against Army, Notre Dame and most recently then-No. 9 North Carolina showed the Orange still belong in the elite tier of women’s college lacrosse.

Against UNC, Syracuse put on a clinic with a season-high 20 goals and handed the Tar Heels their worst loss in program history. Led by a season-high five goals from Emma Tyrrell, the Orange had eight different goal scorers. SU outscored North Carolina 12-2 in the second half as it cruised to a 20-5 victory.

After its big win, Syracuse welcomed UAlbany to the JMA Wireless Dome, its first unranked nonconference opponent of the season.

The Great Danes provided little resistance to the Orange, who scored 20 goals for the second straight game. Syracuse led 6-2 after the first quarter and didn’t look back from there, leading comfortably for the rest of the game and coming out with a nine-goal win.

Here are some observations from No. 7 Syracuse’s (7-3, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) 20-11 win over UAlbany (2-7, 1-0 America East) :

Draw inconsistencies

Syracuse’s draw control spot looked to be one of its stronger positions heading into 2024 with Kate Mashewske returning. Mashewske’s senior season was cut short when she suffered a season-ending knee injury against Notre Dame on March 11, 2023. In 2024, Mascheske’s been up and down. The graduate student has registered double-digit draw controls on three separate occasions this season, but in SU’s opener against then-No 1 Northwestern, she was replaced by Olivia Adamson.

Against UAlbany, Mashewske had issues dealing with Haley Phalines. The Great Danes draw specialist came in with 39 draw controls on the season and dominated Mashewske early on. UAlbany controlled six out of the first seven draws and did it in a variety of ways. Phalines was mostly helped out by her wings as Katie Pascale picked up three draw controls in the first quarter.

Despite its success at the draw circle, when UAlbany gained control of the ball, it instantly gave it back to Syracuse on multiple occasions by throwing a pass out of bounds. Nine turnovers in the first quarter led to a four-goal deficit.

The draw struggles continued throughout, so much so that SU head coach Kayla Treanor opted to place Adamson in the draw circle at the 8:04 mark of the third quarter. After entering the game, Adamson won five of her first six draws as Syracuse continued to extend its lead.

After a poor start, Syracuse nearly got even on draw controls. By the end of the game, UAlbany controlled 18 and the Orange corralled 16.

Strong end to first half

Halfway through the second quarter, UAlbany scored two straight goals to cut Syracuse’s lead to three. The Great Danes threatened to get within two for the first time since early in the first quarter, but Syracuse put its foot on the gas pedal to finish the half. First, it was Emma Muchnick dodging to her left before ripping one past Grace Cincebox in net.

Then, Tyrrell found Emma Ward wide open in the middle for her second goal of the game as Syracuse led 9-4. Payton Rowley followed up with a free position goal 80 seconds later to ensure SU’s streak of scoring at least 10 goals stayed alive.

Cincebox was able to prevent Ward from completing her hat trick with a save high, but after not corralling the rebound, Joely Caramelli picked up the loose ball and fired into the open net to extend Syracuse’s lead again. Tyrrell capped off the five-goal run with 15 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 12-5 SU.

UAlbany did get back on the board just 10 seconds later. Mashewske mishandled the ground ball on the ensuing draw and strong ball movement led to Ava Poupard scoring on the crease to cut the Great Dane’s deficit to seven heading into halftime.

Syracuse has displayed an ability to score in bunches this season. On Saturday against UNC, the Orange scored five goals in the first four minutes. Tuesday was slightly different, but Syracuse found its rhythm late in the first half.

Spread out scoring

After SU lost two of its top scorers from last season — Megan Carney and Meaghan Tyrrell — there was doubt about who would step up to replace their production. In 2024, there hasn’t been one specific player that’s broken out, but a collective effort to make up for the departures.

In its previous game, the Orange had eight different scorers in its largest margin of victory this season. Once again on Tuesday, SU had eight different players register a goal. Treanor has often talked about how the depth of Syracuse’s attack is what makes it dangerous. If teams try to shut down one of its top options like Ward or Adamson, they still have to deal with SU’s secondary options, which can prove to be just as dangerous.

Against the Great Danes, four different players registered a hat trick with Ward and Adamson both netting four goals. Syracuse’s offense clicked and stayed consistent for most of the game. The Orange scored at least five goals in each of the first three quarters and its offensive firepower proved to be too much for UAlbany to handle.

Containing Pascale

Pascale came in as UAlbany’s point leader by a wide margin, leading the Great Danes in goals (23) and assists (20).The next closest player in terms of production was Grace McCauley’s 16 goals and 0 assists. Only Bryar Hogg also has at least 10 points, meaning Pascale carries much of the offensive load.

Against North Carolina, the Orange held Ashley Humphrey — the Tar Heels’ leading goalscorer — without a point and Tuesday, SU tried doing the same with Pascale. The midfielder had multiple chances in the first half to score on free position attempts but was thwarted by Delaney Sweitzer.

Pascale got on the board at the 7:35 mark in the second quarter to cut SU’s lead to three. But when Pascale next scored, Syracuse already stretched its advantage to eight. The attack curled around from X and finished low past Sweitzer. With just over six minutes left in the third, Pascale earned another free position chance and converted for her third goal of the game, but UAlbany’s attack was held without a point for the rest of the contest.

Published on March 19, 2024 at 6:01 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22