Women’s lacrosse heads to Stanford for Top 20 showdown
Liz Hogan may have gone untested in Syracuse’s season-opening rout of Le Moyne, but the sophomore goalkeeper knows she won’t receive the same benefit against No. 16 Stanford.
The Cardinal offense has frazzled opposing goalkeepers this season. In its first three games, Stanford has converted 52 goals on 74 shots on goal and is averaging 17.33 scores per contest.
Despite acknowledging the significance of the non-conference matchup, Hogan admits she hasn’t lost any sleep over the explosive attack.
‘It’ll definitely be our first test,’ Hogan said. ‘It’s against a Top 20 team and it’s on the road. I think it would be intimidating, but because we score 20 goals too consistently, I guess I’m not that intimidated.’
Unfortunately for the sophomore, her busy weekend won’t end there. Besides visiting the Cardinal’s home turf for a 6 p.m. showdown today, Hogan and the No. 2 Orange will also travel to play California at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Even though Hogan appears to be sanguine, the muddled road trip has given Syracuse head coach Gary Gait some concerns. But it’s not on-the-field anxiety he’s worrying about. Gait’s worries stem from the anticipated effects of jetlag.
‘It’s going to be a challenge for us,’ Gait said. ‘There’s the time change and the distance and playing a Top 20 team. They’re two really good games, and they really strengthen our schedule. But it’s not going to be easy, especially this early in the season.’
But the jetlag won’t prove to be the only potential pitfall for the Orange. Last year, Syracuse had various difficulties on the road, dropping two of its three losses away from the Carrier Dome.
In order to reverse that trend, Hogan will have to showcase a strong performance in goal against both formidable attacks. But attack Halley Quillinan understands that her team’s resiliency will be tested, and the junior midfielder appears prepared to help her teammate accomplish that goal.
‘We had a lot of trouble playing on the road last year, so to get on the road and to just get away and play two good teams in California is great,’ Quillinan said. ‘Stanford is a very competitive team, and California is an up-and-coming program. It’s tough to play away games, but if we want to be a stronger team this year, we are going to have to do that. We are going to have to go on the road and win.’
Quillinan also played a significant role in prepping Hogan for Stanford’s offense. During practices, the team’s leading scorer, alongside Katie Rowan and Christina Dove, has helped Hogan adjust to Stanford’s offensive tactics by simulating the Cardinals’ schemes.
That may be the difference maker in this weekend’s games. With Quillinan, Rowan and Dove – who are all on the Tewaaraton watch list – firing extra practice shots at her, Hogan should be seasoned and equipped to stonewall attackers.
‘It’s a great help to have (Quillinan, Rowan and Dove),’ Hogan said. ‘We did have the best offense last year in terms of points per game, so it’s definitely a huge help to have them. If you’re stopping their shots, you’re stopping the best shots you can possibly stop. All of them have a fast shot and they’re extremely accurate, so it’s great way to get ready for a game.’
It will be essential for Hogan, who was also named to the Tewaaraton watch list, to continue to uphold her goalkeeping reputation against the Cardinal. In 2008, SU went 5-3 against teams ranked in the Top 20, so the game’s outcome could be a strong indicator of Syracuse’s status in the national circuit.
Even though these are out-of-conference games, it hasn’t altered Hogan’s weekly approach. The goalkeeper feels a successful start to a season is crucial for a national championship run, and her demeanor will be all business once the Orange departs from Syracuse.
‘I’ll personally watch a lot of film on the flight over there,’ Hogan said. ‘I expect them to come out with a lot of confidence and pressure. They want to win this game as much as we do, and I think they’re gonna expect to win.’
