Boosted by quick start, SU women’s soccer looks to make jump to Big East’s upper-tier
For the Syracuse women’s soccer team, what has happened in the past is over and done with. And going into the meat of its Big East schedule, the team feels like it is going in a much different direction than in years past.
For SU head coach Phil Wheddon, the real season is finally here.
The Orange (5-3-3, 2-0-0 Big East) will look to further its stance in the Big East this weekend by facing Connecticut (4-3-2, 0-0-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
‘Everything prior to now really means nothing in the grand scheme of things. It’s just dressing for what really counts,’ Wheddon said. ‘The Big East really counts, every game is a tough game, and I’m looking forward to the competition.’
The Orange has been unable to win many conference games in the past. The team has finished each of Wheddon’s two seasons with a 2-8-1 record against the Big East.
But SU is looking to change the perception of being a lower-tier Big East team. The Orange already made a statement by beating St. John’s 1-0 last Friday, a team ranked in the Top 25 last season. Junior defender Taylor Chamberlain explained this team is more talented than it was in the past.
‘I think we’re a lot better this year. We’re able to pass a lot better and find the open man,’ Chamberlain said. ‘I think we’re looking to come out (and) score really hard in the first half and get some goals in the first half.’
Syracuse has already exceeded its goal output from last year’s team. The Orange scored just seven goals in 11 Big East games last season, and 13 goals on the season total.
The improvements appear to have finally risen to the surface. Scoring goals may have been an issue in the past, but the Orange has found numerous ways to put the ball in the back of the net this season.
‘Just getting it done in the offensive third,’ senior forward Megan Bellingham said of the most glaring issue going into Big East play. ‘I think we’ve stuck with a lot of these teams in the past, and we’ll be losing by, like, one goal. I think just keeping our composure and having that drive to make sure we’re scoring, instead of hoping to score is what we really want to improve on.’
Wheddon has used the team’s first 11 games to see how his team stacked up against title contenders and other challenging teams. During a Sept. 5 contest with No. 4 Portland, the Orange was able to open up the scoring and establish it was not a pushover.
SU ended up losing the game 3-1, but Wheddon saw what his team was made of. He went on to say this was one of his team’s best performances throughout the season thus far.
Syracuse has gone unbeaten since that matchup with Portland, winning four games and tying one. The Orange may have the wave of momentum it needs going into the remainder of its Big East schedule.
If the Orange can play as well as it did against Portland, it will be able to establish itself as a threat to surprise some teams in the Big East.
‘I’m looking for my team to remain composed, play the way we can play,’ Wheddon said. ‘As I was just telling them, when we play and assert ourselves on another team, we are a very good team.’
Bellingham said last Tuesday if the Orange wants to succeed in the latter part of its schedule, it will have to get a rhythm going. A rhythm SU hopes will carry it to the top of the Big East.
Said Bellingham: ‘I think it’s an adjustment for the whole team, just to kind of get a rhythm going into the Big East.’
