No. 5 Syracuse earns 5-2 comeback win over Lafayette for best start since 2017
No. 5 Syracuse earned a 5-2 comeback win over Lafayette to stay undefeated, moving to 6-0 for its best start to a season since 2017. Lars Jendrushewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
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Syracuse entered its game against Lafayette on a roll, coming off its third straight win over a top-20 opponent.
But all of that momentum went out the window when Lafayette marched down the field and Josephine van Wijk scored less than two minutes into the game. It was the first time the Orange had trailed all season, and they fell behind again when Lafayette scored midway through the second period to take a 2-1 lead.
Syracuse stayed calm to open the second half and tied the game at two when Bo van Kempen scored a penalty stroke. Minutes later, the Orange took a 3-2 lead when Ally Snyder scored in open play off an assist from Aiden Drabick. From there, it was all Syracuse. The Orange stifled Lafayette’s offense, living up to their status as one of the best teams in the country.
On Sunday afternoon, a dominant second-half powered No. 5 Syracuse (6-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) over Lafayette (3-3, 0-0 Patriot) in a 5-2 comeback win. Still undefeated, SU’s 6-0 start is the best start to a season since 2017, when the Orange started 7-0.
“What’s impressed me is the desire for this team to be a collective unit,” Lynn Farquhar, SU’s head coach, said. “There is a will to win, and that’s really special. What we need to continue to develop is team hockey.”
Fresh off a 1-0 overtime win against No. 11 Princeton, Syracuse had to play from behind early after van Wijk scored a loose ball in front of the Orange goal to give Lafayette the 1-0 lead. It was the first time this season that Syracuse had allowed a goal in the first half, let alone the first period.
The early deficit woke up Syracuse’s offense, as Lieke Leeggangers’ shot just 30 seconds later went over the top of the goal. Madden followed with a shot on goal but was stopped by Lafayette’s goalkeeper, Raffi Fragomeni. The Orange kept the pressure on offensively and soon earned a penalty corner.
On the insert, Pati Strunk found Lana Hamilton, who dished it to van Kempen. She scored her 12th goal of the season from just inside the circle, tying the game at one. Late in the first period, Syracuse continued its momentum offensively and nearly took a 2-1 lead after Aubrey Turner’s shot deflected wide off the post.
Lafayette defender Rosalie van Gool blocked Bo Madden’s shot on Syracuse’s first opportunity of the second period. Leegangers forced a save from Fragomeni just seconds later, and again tested the Lafayette goalie when her effort was blocked on Syracuse’s next offensive possession.
With the Orange threatening to score, the Leopards earned a penalty corner, which van Gool converted to restore Lafayette’s lead. Syracuse had a chance to respond, earning a penalty corner of their own, but Fragomeni blocked van Kempen’s shot for her third save of the period.
Heading into halftime down 2-1, Syracuse searched for an equalizer at the start of the third period. Madden had another shot blocked by Fragomeni, but the Leopards played at a disadvantage after van Wijk had to sit with a green card. The Orange earned a penalty stroke.
Bo van Kempen stepped up and fired a rocket into the top left netting, tying the game at two for her 13th goal of the season and second of the game.
“She does have ice in her veins,” Farquhar said. “She gets up when many people might get nervous.”
Her penalty inspired another Orange attack, where Drabick dribbled through the Leopards’ defense to find Snyder in front of the net. She slotted it home to give Syracuse a 3-2 advantage and its first lead of the game.
Syracuse threatened to score again, but Fragomeni came up with two saves to stop Drabick and Hattie Madden in the last five minutes of the period, keeping Lafayette in the game.
The Leopards were strong offensively to open the fourth period, but the Orange were stronger. Syracuse earned another penalty stroke, which van Kempen pushed into the bottom left corner to put the Orange up 4-2 for her third goal of the game and 14th on the season.
“The generation of what we did up the field to earn the penalty strokes and get the corners, I have to give a lot of credit to Aiden and Hattie for adjusting how they were moving,” Farquhar said. “We had a couple of people really step up and move from, ‘It’s easy to make excuses,’ into ‘We’re going to find a solution and problem solve.’”
Syracuse earned an advantage when van Wijk was given her second green card of the game, but Hattie Madden was handed one seconds later to put both teams back on equal footing. Lafayette was awarded a penalty corner with Madden off the field, but Syracuse’s defense stood tall.
The Orange quickly countered, earning a penalty corner of their own. With van Kempen threatening to score, she dished it to Pati Strunk, who had her shot blocked. Snyder was there on the rebound to score her second goal of the game and give Syracuse a 5-2 lead.
Lafayette strung together quality offensive possessions after Snyder’s second goal, but couldn’t find the back of the net as the Orange stood tall defensively to secure the win.
“We need our players group to continue to improve and step up,” Farquhar said. “For Allie to come in, use her speed, do her job, and then convert to finishing two goals, for sure, we’re proud of her and want to keep on doing that as a unit.”
