No. 6 Syracuse storms past California 18-6 for 5th ACC win
No. 6 Syracuse dominated California 18-6 on the road to cruise to its fifth conference win of the season and re-enter the win column. Courtesy of SU Athletics
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The last time Syracuse faced California, the program was in a different era.
Sitting at No. 3 in the nation, then-head coach Gary Gait’s Orange traveled to Berkeley on Feb. 22, 2009, eyeing their third straight win to open the season. Spearheaded by star attackers Katie Rowan, Halley Quillinan and Megan Mosenson — who combined for 18 points — SU overpowered Cal from start to finish in an 18-2 blowout.
One-sided victories like these were commonplace for Syracuse back then, but have been a rarity in 2025. Of SU’s first eight wins before Saturday, only one was by double digits. Despite offensive weapons like Emma Ward, Emma Muchnick and Joely Caramelli setting personal records almost weekly, the Orange have struggled to put away opponents this season like they once did.
But in its first matchup with the Golden Bears in over a decade on Saturday, SU showed flashes of its old self.
No. 6 Syracuse (9-5, 5-2 Atlantic Coast) dominated Cal (5-8, 0-7 Atlantic Coast) in an 18-6 victory, its fifth in its last six games. Like their last meeting with the Golden Bears, the Orange flexed their offensive prowess in the opening quarter and never looked back. Behind separate 5-0 and 3-0 runs in the first half, SU ballooned its lead to four by halftime. In the second half, it imposed its will with a 9-1 advantage, cruising to victory.
While Saturday’s win wasn’t over one of the premier teams in the ACC, the performance was still a confidence builder. With just one game separating Syracuse from its toughest test of the year in No. 1 Boston College, it needs all the momentum it can get — especially coming off a loss to Yale on Wednesday.
The last time SU faced Cal, it was in control right out of the gate. Less than 10 minutes in, Syracuse had already built an 8-0 lead behind a litany of scorers. Unlike their 2009 counterpart, it took the Orange a moment to find rhythm early.
Despite boasting the eighth-worst draw control unit in the nation, Cal’s efforts in the circle helped it dish out the first punch. Snatching the opening draw, Ashleigh Masterson kickstarted the Golden Bears’ first possession of the game. Seconds later, Courtney Wong broke the ice.
In Syracuse’s last outing, head coach Kayla Treanor replaced Caramelli after leading her team to a 1-for-4 mark in the circle. Against a weak Cal draw unit, Caramelli’s leash was cut even shorter. Just two trips into the circle, Treanor swapped her for Meghan Rode, who took over for most of the first quarter. Still, Caramelli made occasional appearances on the draw throughout the rest of the contest.
“(Caramelli) sells out in everything she does,” Treanor said after SU’s win over then-No. 21 Notre Dame on March 23. “I think on the circle she’s really working on her technique, but the biggest thing that stands out to me is just how hard she plays.”
Following the switch, SU’s attack finally found its footing. Powered by Caroline Trinkaus and Emma Muchnick’s two tallies apiece, the Orange embarked on a 5-0 run midway through the first quarter. Avery Hoeft ended the string of goals by beating Syracuse goalie Daniella Guyette from in close, but Alexa Vogelman’s tally in the final minute restored SU’s four-goal cushion to close the period.
But Cal appeared no worse for wear despite its tumultuous start. Costly fouls by Superia Clark and Coco Vandiver set up two unanswered Golden Bear tallies, giving the Orange a temporary scare.
Most teams this season have opted to combat Syracuse’s deep attack with a zone defense, but not Cal. As halftime neared, it emphasized its man defense, but the Orange only benefited, allowing them to reclaim momentum.
Unphased by the Golden Bears’ scheme, Syracuse embarked on another sizable scoring run, this time a 3-0 burst. Following her assist on Trinkaus’ third goal of the evening, Gracie Britton converted a tally of her own off a feed from Emma Ward. A Vogelman screamer brought SU’s lead to 9-5 at the break.
“(My confidence) comes from my teammates,” Trinkaus said after SU beat Notre Dame. “All the energy everyone brings every day through practice and just being around them is also inspiring.”
That confidence was evident each time the freshman stepped on the field Saturday. With four goals, Trinkaus not only tied a career-high, but also sustained her streak of notching at least a point in every game this season.
While Syracuse’s surges through the first 30 minutes were notable, they could’ve lasted longer if not for its mediocre 4-for-9 performance in the draw. Faced with one of the worst draw control teams in the nation, it was all hands on deck for SU’s unit on Saturday. Although eight different players notched at least one win, the Orange still mustered just a 14-for-27 mark in the circle overall.
Even without a standout performance from its draw unit, Syracuse’s offensive core flexed its depth out of the break. As the Golden Bears’ offense fell into a lull — logging just four shots on goal in the third quarter — the Orange blew the game wide open.
Fueled by five different goal scorers, SU embarked on a 6-0 run that lasted the duration of the frame as Cal’s defense became flat-footed. This fatigue was reflected most in Ward’s second tally, as she toyed with the Golden Bears’ backline. Accepting a feed from Britton into the laces of her stick, Ward ripped home a behind-the-back shot without even looking at the net.
Two games ago, Ward became the third player in SU history to reach the 300-point mark against then-No. 11 Virginia on March 29. But judging by her game-high seven points against Cal, she still has plenty more left to give.
“She really is so easy to coach because her IQ is just so high,” Treanor said of Ward after the Virginia game. “It’s just such a gift to have a player that when you feel like you’re on the same page with them, (you can) hand them the keys to your offense.”
Following a Vogelman strike, Molly Guzik added insult to injury with a goal that seemed too easy. After collecting what would turn out to be her only draw control, she singlehandedly slipped through multiple Cal defenders to bring SU’s cushion to nine.
Now with a commanding 16-5 stranglehold in the fourth quarter, Syracuse turned on cruise control. As the clock ticked through garbage time, backup players like Annie Parker and Mackenzie Rich were given a chance to shine as the Orange walked to yet another dominant victory in Berkeley.
