Syracuse remains winless at home after 4-1 loss to RIT
After scoring five goals on Friday, Syracuse’s offense stalled against RIT on Saturday, scoring just one goal. Eli Schwartz | Contributing Photographer
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Syracuse’s 5-2 trouncing of RIT on Friday gave the team something it hadn’t had in a while: expectations.
Since its NCAA Tournament berth in 2022, SU has struggled to find its footing in Atlantic Hockey America play. In two of the past three seasons, it finished with a losing record in AHA action. In 2023-24, the Orange’s first win didn’t come until 10 games into conference play.
Syracuse associate head coach Heather Farrell acknowledged those added expectations and understood the Orange would have a target on their back for Saturday’s matchup:
“We know RIT will bring it,” Farrell said Friday. “They’re a tough opponent and they hounded us, so we’ve got to recover and be ready to go for another beating tomorrow.”
On Saturday, Farrell’s comments proved to be true.
SU’s unblemished road record fueled its undefeated start to conference play, but the Orange have been shockingly woeful at home. Syracuse (5-5, 3-1 AHA) struggled again at Tennity Ice Pavilion, falling to RIT (5-5, 2-2 AHA) 4-1.
SU’s offense, which notched five goals in Friday’s win, faltered after an early first-period goal. RIT outshot the Orange 31-11 in the second period and carried that offensive aggression into the third period, when it notched two goals.
“I think RIT changed their game plan (from Friday). They were really good and didn’t give us much time and space,” Farrell said.
On Friday, Syracuse’s offense looked as comfortable as it had all season. The Orange recorded a 20.8% shot on goal percentage, their highest of the season. When Jackson Kinsler found the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead at the 6:55 mark Saturday, it appeared SU’s offense hadn’t missed a beat.
Kinsler’s second goal of the season was a product of Syracuse’s aggressive and efficient offense. In the first period, the Orange totaled 23 shots, 14 of which were on goal.
“It’s good to see our players getting on the score sheet, and I was happy for her,” Farrell said.
Later in the period, Ava Drabyk, who has been a revelation in the net, faced her first wave of pressure from the Tigers, turning away attempts from Riley Gramlich and Cassandra Kehler.
Against RIT, it’s imperative not to commit penalties, as the Tigers boast the nation’s top power play unit (.324). But after a penalty on Jessica Cheung, RIT broke through with an unassisted goal from Linda Rulle.
SU dominated for much of the first period but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. Farrell believed her team missed an opportunity to overwhelm the Tigers out of the gate.
“The momentum was in our favor for most of the first period,” Farrell said. “Then we took a penalty and they scored. I think that’s where the shift happened.”
Out of the break, it was clear the Tigers had found a rhythm offensively. Riding the tandem of Cassandra Barnes and Rulle at the faceoff spot, RIT began to hog possession of the puck, to which Syracuse had no answers.
RIT outnumbered SU an alarming 36-16 on faceoffs — with its struggles, Farrell’s assessment was blunt.
“We couldn’t figure them out,” Farrell said.
RIT’s Addie Alvarez had a chance on a breakaway to extend the Tiger advantage to 2-1, but senior defenseman Sami Gendron hauled up the ice to get her stick in the way at the last moment, leading to an easy Drabyk kick save. A couple minutes later, Drabyk rejected Alvarez again, but that increased aggression tested the Canadian, who faced 31 attempts from the Tigers in the period.
Syracuse’s offense was thrown a lifeline, with back-to-back power plays, but Gendron and Emma Gnade couldn’t capitalize on their shot attempts for the Orange. On the other end, the Tigers continued to pepper Drabyk with shot attempts. That pressure ultimately led to a chance for Tilli Keranen, who buried a shot in front of the net to give RIT a 2-1 advantage.
Through three conference games, the Orange faced 79 shots on goal. On Saturday, RIT recorded 71 total shots, 32 coming on goal.
RIT’s barrage of shots culminated in a Kolbee Ashe goal in the third period, when she skated up the right side and quickly darted back to the center of the ice to fire a shot above Drabyk’s glove.
Trailing by two, SU needed to find a spark offensively. That opportunity came on a power play midway through the third period. But Nea Tervonen stumbled and lost the puck, and Syracuse wasn’t able to capitalize on RIT’s mistake.
The Orange coaching staff decided to pull Drabyk with just under four minutes remaining, but the gamble failed to spark the offense. Alvarez capitalized on the empty net to seal the victory for RIT.
“(It) comes down to taking care of our bodies tonight… Just take the positives, be ready to learn from this and move on,” Tervonen said.
