Syracuse downs Cornell 3-0 to preserve 6-game unbeaten streak
After three straight ties, Syracuse finally broke back into the win column by handily defeating Cornell 3-0 on Sunday. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
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Scoring hasn’t been Syracuse’s forte.
If you wanted to, you could make a fairly cohesive argument arguing against that, perhaps pointing to early multi-goal thrashings against lower-level competition such as Charleston Southern and Canisius.
You could point to players such as Mia Klammer and Ashley Rauch, who entered Sunday tied for the team lead in goals with four. You could even point to players such as Maya McDermott, who’s scored two goals after failing to score in the first 38 games of her career.
But on the other end, you could argue Syracuse entered Sunday on a 192-minute scoreless streak. It hadn’t scored multiple goals since a 3-1 win over Holy Cross, and it conveniently hadn’t secured a victory since then.
All of those dubious streaks came to an end Sunday. Syracuse (4-1-3, 0-0-0 Atlantic Coast) thrashed Cornell (2-2-2, 0-0-0 Ivy League) 3-0 at SU Soccer Stadium, as Gabby Wisbeck gave the Orange a lead as her first career goal. Once the second half arrived, SU erupted for two goals in the 55th minute. Klammer and Anna Rupert put the finishing touches on the Orange’s triumph, within 23 seconds of each other.
“We had glimpses over the last three games, but it wasn’t complete,” SU head coach Nicky Trasher Adams said. “I love the adjustments we made at halftime. Came out and buried the game.”
Unlike its previous contest against Binghamton — where the Orange had to wait over 20 minutes to get a shot off — Syracuse’s attackers got involved early against Cornell.
Klammer got affairs started in the sixth minute, receiving a through ball and driving on the left wing with little support. While the graduate student drove into the box, the Big Red defense jammed her against the byline, forcing her to take a shot at a difficult angle.
Her effort wasn’t on goal, but it was a welcome sign for Syracuse’s attack.
“Vanderbosch did a really good job of organizing a bit better today, looking at options,” Adams said about SU’s buildup. “They put us 2v2 off of our build, we’ll send it in for these to hold and then build off of them.”
Operating as a right wingback, Kendyl Lauher drove into Cornell’s attacking half in the 13th minute. She delivered a threatening cross into the box directly at Samantha Qureshey, forcing Cornell’s goalkeeper to punch the ball away for a corner. The ensuing set piece didn’t yield anything beyond a harmless header from Bree Bridges, but that would be far from SU’s last offensive opportunity.
Five minutes later, Cornell’s attackers were dispossessed in the midfield, and the ball managed to find its way to McDermott. She played a through ball to Klammer, who dribbled around two defenders in the box before finding a trailing Anna Croyle.
The sophomore’s shot barely trickled wide right of the net. Hundreds of Syracuse fans exclaimed as they watched the ball slide out of play, being so close to a lead.
It was just nine minutes before they could breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Deep in Cornell’s attacking half, Klammer set up on the touchline for a long throw in the 27th minute. Her throw found McDermott in the box, who flicked a ball into open space that Qureshey nearly grabbed.
Then Abigail Bishara got a bit too overzealous. The Cornell midfielder attempted to clear the ball before Qureshey could get involved, but her clearance found an unmarked Wisbeck inside the box. All the sophomore had to do was float a ball over Qureshey for her first career goal, and there was nothing the Big Red could do about it.
With how Syracuse’s backline has been playing as of late — having allowed just one goal in its previous three contests — it’s safe to say Wisbeck’s score would’ve sufficed to secure a win.
It’s not like a couple more goals has ever hurt anyone.
“The shutouts have been key, right? We’re hard to break down right now,” Adams said. “But getting three good goals was awesome today.”
Ten minutes into the second half, Wisbeck floated a ball to Rupert down the right wing, who used her pace to beat Cornell’s defense to the spot. She took two strong touches to beat her defender and fired an offering at Qureshey.
The Cornell keeper’s mitts saved that one. But they were more than outmatched on her second offering, as she scored her first goal of the season to make it 2-0 with a rocket off of the ricochet.
Klammer added another tally in the same minute. McDermott delivered a ball over the top to her fellow attacker, and all SU’s lethal finisher had to do was tap it in to give the Orange a 3-0 advantage.
The game was done and dusted. Seven and a half minutes later, Rupert — a senior — was substituted off the pitch. Her job was done for the day. As she came off, Adams awaited her with open arms. The pair shared a brief embrace before Rupert ducked under the bench, having nothing left to do except watch her team coast to a comfortable victory.
“I’ve been here since I was a freshman. I really believe in this program and what we can do,” Rupert said. “It’s so nice to have trust in (Adams), no matter what my rule is on this team.”
