Syracuse rediscovers scoring touch in 4-0 win over Canisius
Led by four different goal scorers and a backline that allowed just eight shots, Syracuse cruised to a 4-0 shutout victory over Canisius. Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
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Garnering chances has never been Syracuse’s problem. The Orange unleashed 43 shots in their opening two games, placing 21 of those efforts on target.
SU’s real shortcoming lies in its final touch, a flaw that halted Syracuse’s momentum after its 5-0 thrashing of Charleston Southern. After scoring five goals in the first 37 minutes, the Orange mustered up just four shots across the final 53. The pattern persisted two days later, as it took SU 83 minutes to find the back of the net in its 2-1 loss to Niagara.
As a result, head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams is cracking down. After Syracuse began its 2024 campaign with a 4-0-1 record, it won just two of its final 13 matches. Adams desperately wants to avoid repeating history. So, on Monday, the Orange devoted more than an hour of practice to finishing, repeatedly simulating scoring situations. With Canisius on deck, could the Orange rediscover their ruthless attacking form they displayed on Aug. 15 against the Buccaneers?
They did that and more. It took Syracuse just 14 minutes to build a two-goal cushion against Canisius on Thursday. And with their newly formed backline of Natalie Magnotta, Bree Bridges and Jasmine Nixon, the Orange (2-1-0 Atlantic Coast) cruised back to their winning ways with a 4-0 victory over the Golden Griffins (0-2-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic).
“We were looking for the way we rebounded and the way we were intentional with what we were working on,” Adams said postgame. “Really proud of the girls, pretty big time.”
Despite Canisius being located just over two hours from Syracuse, the programs were anything but familiar foes. The teams hadn’t met in 29 years, and after falling to Niagara — another New York rival — the Orange were determined to restore their in-state reputation. Still, for SU goalie Shea Vanderbosch, two of Canisius’ faces were far from strangers.
This past summer, Vanderbosch joined Golden Griffins midfielders Skylar Cornell and Lizzy Harkness with FC Buffalo of the United Soccer League, where she was named the club’s best defensive player. But on Thursday, while Cornell and Harkness intended to pin her deep, it was SU’s attack that dictated the game.
From the outset, Ashley Rauch, Mia Klammer and Gabby Wisbeck drove play toward Canisius’ net. Just three minutes in, Rauch lined up for the game’s first corner kick, but her delivery sailed out of play past Maya McDermott. Four minutes later, Wisbeck was at the corner for the Orange’s second attempt.
While both chances came up empty, SU was mounting pressure. Finally, just 13:09 into the game, the Orange broke through. Klammer, pushing into Canisius’ territory, found Wisbeck on the right flank. Wisbeck crossed the ball toward Rauch outside the goalie box. While her awkward knuckled shot was partially deflected by freshman defender Emilia Nuttall, it ricocheted off Canisius’ post, allowing the senior McDermott to follow up for her first career score.
“This is just breaking the seal. Hopefully, there will be a lot more (goals) to come,” McDermott said postgame. “I’m fully capable of (scoring). I’m gonna accept the challenge.”
Forty-two seconds after McDermott’s goal, Rauch lined up for Syracuse’s seventh throw-in. Her toss found Kendyl Lauher after a Nuttall header. Lauher — who played just nine games in 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season with an injury — collected the second goal of her college career by lofting the ball over Golden Griffins goalkeeper Chloe Tseros.
As the battle-tested Orange continued to challenge Tseros, Canisius looked to flip the script. With roughly seven minutes to play in the first half, Vanderbosch’s USL W teammates pressed SU’s defending third. Jessica Whitaker rifled a shot toward Vanderbosch, who dove left to make the save.
With a 2-0 advantage and nearly complete control after one half, the game looked all but over. After the brief intermission, almost nothing changed. Syracuse remained content with possession, and while its scoring briefly halted, the attack picked it back up 20 minutes into the frame.
Klammer — who Adams described pregame as “just what Syracuse was missing last year” — continued her stellar start with her third goal in three games this season. Wisbeck delivered a pinpoint free kick that found the side of Klammer’s head for the finish.
“It’s a blessing to have (Mia) an extra year. People are starting to see what she’s capable of doing,” Adams said. “I think as we evolve into the season, she’s gonna continue to get better and better.”
With 15 minutes to play and Canisius barely holding on, freshman Julia Arbelaez put the finishing touch on the victory with her first career goal. As the freshman controlled the ball at midfield, she found Rauch racing down the right sideline. Rauch, 1-on-1 with Whitaker, then reconnected with a crashing Arbelaez for the Orange’s fourth goal of the game.
If Thursday proved anything, it’s that Syracuse still wields a potent offense. While its chances have always been present, the objective is now clearer than ever with an unforgiving ACC schedule ahead; it just needs to finish.
“This team is not like any other team I’ve had at Syracuse,” McDermott said. “No one’s that selfish. We all want each other to be successful, and that’s what sets us apart. We just want the win at the end of the day.”
