No. 4 Syracuse loses early lead in 2-1 loss to No. 3 Virginia
Although No. 4 SU struck first and controlled the game’s tempo, a late penalty goal by No. 3 UVA doomed the Orange to a 2-1 loss. Lindsay Baloun | Contributing Photographer
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Syracuse’s home tilt against Virginia in 2023 ended in a double-overtime heartbreak. Adele Iacobucci’s strike got past Brooke Borzymowski with just under 30 seconds remaining in double overtime, giving the Cavaliers a thrilling victory.
It was the epitome of a demoralizing loss. The Orange failed to win a conference game at home for the remainder of the season, limping to an 11-8 finish.
Déjà vu reared its ugly head on Sunday afternoon. With SU’s contest against Virginia knotted at one apiece with 54 seconds remaining, a Syracuse stroke gifted the Cavaliers a penalty shot goal. Mia Abello struck the ball past the outstretched arms of Tane King for a game-winning goal.
Abello’s goal propelled No. 3 Virginia (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast) to a 2-1 win over No. 4 Syracuse (6-2, 0-2 Atlantic Coast). While the Orange outshot the Cavaliers 13-10 and led at halftime, their missed opportunities allowed UVA to leave J.S. Coyne Stadium victorious for the fifth consecutive time. The loss was SU’s second straight one-goal loss after winning its first two one-score games of the season.
“We need to figure out how to get one more on the board,” SU head coach Lynn Farquhar said postgame. “(Virginia) is a great team.”
In their loss against No. 20 Wake Forest on Friday, the Orange struggled to find quality offensive production outside of Bo van Kempen. As hot a start as van Kempen is off to, field hockey isn’t an individual sport.
Although UVA goalie Nilou Lempers saved her shot, Aubrey Turner got a solid look after crisp ball movement and strong patience allowed SU to march upfield. Turnovers plagued Syracuse on Friday, but its offensive unit played relatively clean hockey to begin Sunday’s game.
Virginia’s frequent penalties and turnovers allowed the Orange to control the time of possession battle early. The Cavaliers struggled to push the ball into SU territory without an errant pass, allowing Syracuse to space out and play with a strong level of precision that it didn’t have on Friday.
After another Cavalier turnover, Hattie Madden looked destined to notch her second goal since her hat trick against Lock Haven on Aug. 29. Her shot appeared on-point from a side angle, but Lempers was ready for an easy save.
Due to a Cavaliers foot foul, the Orange had their best opportunity of the quarter via a penalty corner. Strunk’s insertion went to van Kempen per usual, but she couldn’t corral it, which was batted around before Danique Schuurman maintained control of it. Schuurman found Strunk near the right sideline, and she fired one into the net to put SU up 1-0.
UVA’s sloppy start continued into the second frame. Unlike Friday, Syracuse took advantage of Virginia’s shortcomings and avoided any ill-advised miscues when it raced downfield.
Lieke Leeggangers entered Sunday without a goal in her last six contests. But five minutes into the second quarter, she would’ve tallied her second goal of the season if not for a marquee save by Lempers.
The Cavaliers struggled to find open scoring lanes early on. Whenever a UVA possession looked promising, a sea of Syracuse defenders swarmed its attack.
That nearly changed after a penalty stroke was initially called on SU with four minutes to go, but the Cavaliers’ shot deflected. Officials looked for a stick obstruction on the Orange, but there was no second penalty.
van Kempen was a few inches from recording her career-best 16th goal of the year to end the half, but her penalty corner shot went wide.
The start of the third quarter was more of the same for Virginia. Turnovers and penalties plagued UVA, but SU couldn’t take advantage.
It reverted to poor tendencies from Friday’s game, carelessly turning the ball over and allowing the Cavaliers to finally sustain possessions.
Syracuse could afford to be careless against Lock Haven and Fairfield. But against the third-best team in the country, it’d come back to haunt the Orange.
With two minutes to go in the third, the Cavaliers evened the score off a penalty corner goal. King stretched right to save Abello’s initial shot, but UVA’s relentless attack got a second and third chance.
On the third chance, Frederique Vernooij tied the game at one. It was eerily similar to when Wake Forest’s Mia Schoenbeck knotted Friday’s clash up.
SU’s response was more reminiscent of Friday.
After the teams traded possessions to begin the final frame, Virginia had a penalty corner at the 1:04 mark following an SU foot foul. Abello’s first shot was low and went right to King’s chest. Her second opportunity didn’t amount to much either.
But after an SU penalty, Abello buried the game-winner.
This is a growing Syracuse team in transition. With 17 newcomers, it’s going to take time for SU to adjust to ACC play. If this game is any indication, growing pains are likely to happen often this season.
“Most of our team doesn’t know what ACC hockey feels like,” Farquhar said. “The only way you learn it is by experiencing it.”
