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In the opening minutes of Syracuse’s bout with Mercyhurst, Erin Flurey sent a pass to UNC Greensboro transfer Dalani Stephens. The midfielder was wide open at the top of the 18-yard box.

Stephens rocketed a shot off of goalkeeper Kate Constantini’s outstretched hands and into the net to give SU an early 1-0 lead that it never surrendered.

Syracuse (3-0-1, Atlantic Coast Conference) routed Mercyhurst (0-3-0, Northeast Conference) 5-0 Sunday. SU’s five goals were its most goals since beating Lafayette 4-1 on Aug. 25, 2022. Stephens led the way, notching two goals in the contest. The victory marked SU’s third of the season, one more than last season’s total, when it finished 2-14-2.

“I think our offense did a really good job of checking back today and showing for the ball,” Stephens said postgame. “It’s something we’ve been working on in practice extensively, so it was really good to see that come out in the game.”

In the 15 minutes after Stephens’ goal, SU kept control of the ball for the majority of the time. Still, the Lakers received two corner kicks in this span but couldn’t cash in. In the ninth minute, goalkeeper Blythe Braun, again filling in for Shea Vanderbosch, punched away the first attempt. Five minutes later, their second try was headed away by Iba Oching.

Then, Ava Uribe forced a turnover in the 19th minute. Uribe connected with Liesel Odden, who pushed past her defender and found herself one-on-one with Constantini. The senior booted the ball to the left of the goalkeeper and off the post for the score.

Just seven minutes after Odden’s goal, the Orange found the net again. After a scoring threat by Mercyhurst was cleared by Kylen Grant, Kate Murphy sent a long pass down the field to Anna Rupert. The forward had just subbed into the game, but found herself position to score. Rupert drilled the ball into the right corner, marking her first goal of the season.

“To see (Rupert) get a goal and assist on the weekend, that’s big time,” SU head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams said postgame. “If we can get that from our reserves every game, I will be happy.”

SU added another goal when Stephens recorded her second goal of the day five minutes later. Off of a long corner, the graduate student threaded the ball through two defenders to make it 4-0.

Holding a four-goal lead in the second half, Adams rested some of her starters and got fresh legs in the game.

“Being able to get that done in the first half takes a little bit of pressure off of us, and then we can start rotating substitutions, which is nice for the starters,” Adams said.

The Orange controlled the pace of play to start the second half. In the 51st minute, Anna Croyle had an open look on a corner from Uribe but headed it over the crossbar. SU saw two more scoring chances four minutes later, but Flurey and Aysia Cobb’s crosses were both off the mark.

The Lakers pushed to get on the board, but SU’s defense prevailed. Grant cleared the ball on a corner kick and tight defensive play forced a shot by Mercyhurst’s Aly Cooper over the goal.

For the next 20 minutes, neither team could convert despite multiple close calls. Croyle again headed two corners over the goal. Then, an effort by Lakers forward Karah Van Horn clipped off the post.

The Orange tacked on one final time in the 82nd minute. Vita Naihin sent a cross inside the 18 and Allie Fouts made it 5-0 when her shot deflected off of substitute goalkeeper Chelsea Radicia’s and into the net. Fouts’ goal was the icing on the cake for Syracuse’s third win of the season.

Published on August 25, 2024 at 5:37 pm

Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @ Noahnuss99