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With Syracuse leading 12-6 late in the third quarter, Yale turned up its offensive intensity. The Bulldogs worked the ball around the perimeter before Chloe Conaghan fired a shot that rung the left post. Jenna Collignon scooped up the rebound and rocketed a shot, this time going for the right side of the net. SU goalie Delaney Sweitzer positioned on the left side of the goal and went completely horizontal as she dove to her right to deny the attempt.

The save by Sweitzer marked one of the key plays by the SU defense that kept Yale from striking distance for most of the contest. The Bulldogs pulled within four at the 6:32 mark of the third quarter, but the Orange played tight defense throughout to ensure Yale never brought the game closer.

Behind strong defensive play, No. 3 Syracuse (16-5, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) defeated Yale (17-3, 7-0 Ivy League) 19-9 to mark the second-straight NCAA Tournament matchup that SU held its opponent to 10 or fewer goals. The Orange made it difficult on Yale from the start, allowing just two shots on goal in the first quarter and winning the overall shots on goal battle 28-16. Sweitzer’s strong play in net, combined with SU causing six turnovers, propelled the program to its 10th Semifinals appearance.

Just over a minute into the game, Yale ran into trouble on its first possession. After Fallon Vaughn won the draw at the 13:58 mark, the Bulldogs maintained possession for just 18 seconds before Coco Vandiver took the ball away from Katie Clare as she was trying to advance the ball into SU’s defensive zone. This allowed the Orange to cash in on the ensuing possession.

With Syracuse ahead 2-0, Yale fired its first shot of the game at the 11:36 mark of the first quarter but the SU defense stepped in front to reject it. Twenty seconds later, Taylor Everson fired a shot on goal, but Sweitzer stepped up to corral it, marking her first save of the contest.

Midway through the first quarter, the Orange generated a 4-0 lead, but a green card on Savannah Sweitzer created a player-up advantage for the Bulldogs. Collignon, who entered the game averaging 5.0 goals per game in four postseason contests, found the back of the net at the 6:27 mark of the first quarter, but the score would be Yale’s only goal in the first 24 minutes of play.

Yale applied pressure late in the first quarter, but was stopped on its two free position chances before Delaney took the ball away to end the offensive possession. After 15 minutes, SU’s defense slowed Yale from creating any early momentum, as it caused the need for Yale to respond with early adjustments, Collignon said.

“I think we knew coming into it that (Syracuse) was going to be very high pressure, especially at the beginning,” Collignon said. “We just had to figure out how to handle that pressure and drive against it.”

SU began the second quarter with a 5-1 lead and continued to challenge Yale on the defensive end. At the 11:13 mark of the second quarter, Collignon won the draw and looked to score, but Delaney read the shot and stepped in front. On the Bulldogs’ next possession, Delaney caused her second turnover by extending her stick over the SU net to intercept a pass by Megan Kitagawa.

Delaney’s play in net combined with the defense’s ability to force Yale into difficult shots led to a 15-minute scoreless streak for the Bulldogs. At the 6:15 mark of the second quarter, Everson scored to end the drought, but Emma Tyrrell and the SU offense had created an 8-2 lead.

As the SU offense slowed midway through the third quarter, Yale looked to capitalize but was forced into turnovers. Bianca Chevarie took the ball away from Karina Herrera, but a turnover by the Orange gave the ball right back to the Bulldogs. Maddy Baxter and Emma Ward were each sidelined with cards at the 10-minute mark, giving Yale an advantage, but Kaci Benoit caused a turnover on Collignon to thwart the scoring opportunity.

With Syracuse leading 13-7 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Delaney continued to step up in net. Similar to the possession that resulted in her diving save, Yale created a second-chance opportunity by getting the ball back after missing wide. With the Bulldogs on the attack, they worked the ball to Herrera, who fired low, but Delaney knelt down to fend off the shot.

The stop marked the sixth save of the game for Delaney as she proved resilient in net throughout the contest.

“Delaney has been tremendous for us,” SU head coach Kayla Treanor said. “She’s playing her best lacrosse at the end of the year when it matters the most.”

When Yale brought the game within four goals in the second half, continued strong play by the SU defense kept it from inching closer. After a goal by Yale early in the fourth quarter, Syracuse went on a 6-0 scoring run to create a double-digit lead.

SU held Collignon to her fewest goals (three) in five postseason games as it slowed the Bulldogs offense from the beginning of the game. The Orange carried their defensive success into the second half, outshooting Yale 15-9 over the final two frames.

“I think (the defense) is so reliable,” Delaney said. “Having that confidence just in our whole unit is amazing.”

Published on May 16, 2024 at 8:33 pm

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32